Technical Difficulties

Sad day...our computer is fried. Not helpful at all considering we are already behind in our posts. We'll post more of our adventures as soon as possible.

Nashville

Venturing east from Memphis, we headed for the Country Music Capitol of the World. Arriving in Nashville we were greeted by Brian’s childhood friend Tyler, his girlfriend Jess and their pug, Doug who were gracious enough to let us stay with them during the remainder of our time in Tennessee. On the agenda for our first night was to get a feel for the city; we enjoyed a delicious meal at a Mexican restaurant and then went to a local bar for some darts and ring toss. While at the bar we learned about the Southern male dress code (khaki shorts, polo shirt and boat shoes) and also discovered that Kaila is quite the ringer at darts. 

We Won at Darts!

The next day we enjoyed breakfast and then headed home to play Nerts (a card game we had introduced to them the night before). Like us, Tyler and Jess are competitive when it comes to cards. Needless to say, we spent hours playing throughout the weekend. That night we ventured into downtown to experience a Nashville institution: the honky-tonk. We decided on the trailer park themed bar (Astroturf flooring, a car on blocks and cheap Natural Light beer). While there we listened to live country music and relished in the overall experience.

On our last day in town Tyler and Jess took us to another famous landmark: the Grand Ole Opry and Opryland Hotel. Through we did not tour the Opry House we were able to get a sense of its history and magnitude by walking through the hotel and giant atrium filled with restaurants, waterways and gardens. Escaping the massive thunderstorms which had plagued us all weekend, we went home for a brief interlude before trying our hand at trivia again. Although we did better than in Memphis, we still managed to crash and burn. 

Us Outside the Grand Ole Opry

While in Nashville we saw many of the main tourist sites and, because of our great hosts, also got a glimpse into the life of a Nashville local. We had a great time experiencing the city and we never thought we would be so sad to leave a pug. 

Doug's Sorrowful Goodbye

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Memphis

On the way to Memphis we decided to make a pit stop in Jackson Mississippi to see the capitol and try some “must have” southern cooking. We stopped first at Two Sisters’ Kitchen – a lunch buffet that is rumored to have some of the country’s best fried chicken. We had to taste it for ourselves and it did not disappoint! Full with chicken and sweet tea we toured the capitol building which was beautiful inside and full of Mississippi history. So far this was the most delicious rest stop we have made. 

Mississippi Capitol Building

Arriving in Memphis, we checked into our first hostel of the trip. The accommodations were what one would expect of a hostel but the best feature was its location in a lively, up and coming neighborhood. And, as one would expect in a city with deep musical roots, we were able to catch some great live music being performed on a street corner. We spent that evening playing pub trivia (and losing horribly) but managed to make some new friends who may have convinced us to make a stop in St. Louis.

We started the next day by visiting the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was killed.  While it looks like an unassuming hotel from the 60s it is a place that changed the course of our nation. Next, we headed to the Mecca of all Elvis Presley fans – Graceland. Choosing the Platinum Tour, we were able to see his house, car collection, and airplanes. Though the wall carpet and mirrored staircase bordered tacky, it was definitely a worthwhile experience to gain insight into Elvis’ lifestyle and overall story. Our last stop in Memphis was for what else – barbeque. We went to Tom’s BarBQ for a true Memphis experience; there we enjoyed delicious ribs, pulled pork and even a power outage (maybe due to the 4 air conditioners running). 

Elvis' Gaudy TV Room

Memphis Rib Tips!

Though brief, our time in Memphis was well spent. In just 24 hours we were able to experience what Memphis is known for: music, Elvis, MLK and barbeque.

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New Orleans

Traveling from Texas to New Orleans was exciting as we were both looking forward to returning to the Big Easy. We tried Airbnb for the first time and settled into a room in the City Park neighborhood. That night we headed to a local bar that is known for their doberge cupcakes – a New Orleans favorite. Unfortunately they were sold out of cake, but good news, we found the hipster hangout (is that really good news?). 

The House Where We Stayed

On the first morning’s agenda was a swamp tour. Not knowing what to expect – or what type of swamp people would be running it – we were cautiously excited. We set out, along with other tourists and our guide Charlie, who reassured us by telling stories about growing up swimming with gators.  As the boat maneuvered through the swamp we were surprised to see numerous alligators approach our boat in hopes of being fed hot dogs or marshmallows. We had a great time on the swamp tour and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area. 

A Lunging Gator

Another highlight of our time in New Orleans was spending the 4^th of July in the French Quarter. After enjoying many of the main tourist spots (Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, Café Du Monde) we headed towards the river for the firework show. We were greeted by a performance from the Navy Band as we waited for the festivities to begin. Starting off with a bang, the firework show was set to music with a narrative honoring our veterans and truly captured the essence of the day. 

The 4th in Jackson Square (St. Louis Cathedral in the Background)

There were a few other unforgettable moments. One evening thunder and lightning roared through the city and we got a front row seat to the storm on the banks of the Mississippi (while eating beignets, of course). We also managed to get lost on the street car system after midnight; Kaila almost had a breakdown, but only because our host had mentioned New Orleans’ high murder rate earlier that day. And we simply cannot fail to mention the delicious food. We had the best barbeque shrimp poboy ever from Luizza’s and another great poboy experience at the Parkway Bakery. 

Brian Enjoying his Poboy at Parkway Bakery

It is difficult not to have a great time in a city that has such a vibrant culture, interesting people and delicious cuisine. As we expected, we really enjoyed our time in New Orleans and look forward to our next visit.

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Texas

Heading south and passing through Dallas we made it to Austin to stay with Kaila’s cousins Katie and Travis.  We were greatly anticipating our arrival – both to see them and to enjoy their pool! We settled into the cool oasis and got acquainted with our entertaining little cousins, Jack and Julia.

Captain America AKA Jack with Kaila

After recharging for a couple of days and enjoying some great Southern Hospitality, we decided to take a day trip to San Antonio.  Our first stop was the Alamo, which was an exciting piece of history to see.  We then headed to the city’s famed River Walk: man-made waterway through the heart of the city which features restaurants, shops and river boat cruises. We strolled through the Walk and were even welcomed by a little piece of home – rain!  

A View of the River Walk

Our last venture in Texas was Downtown Austin.  We first stopped at the Capitol Building which seemed to perfectly epitomize the Lone Star State; everything in and about the building was over sized and over the top, but it was very enjoyable and well done. After leaving the capitol we walked around Congress Avenue which was much like Hawthorne Street in Portland. While there we enjoyed vintage shops and to Brian’s enjoyment we tasted some delicious homemade ice cream.  As the sun went down we headed to the “Bat Bridge” where we got to witness thousands of bats take their nightly flight from under the structure.  

The Giant Capitol Building

We had a great visit to Texas, having had the opportunity to spend time with family and experience the sites. We also learned that what people say about the Lone Star State is accurate: Texas is truly its own unique world.

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Oklahoma

Departing New Mexico and heading to Austin we had three options – head to Colorado Springs and experience Colorado for the first time, drive two days to see Oklahoma City, or brave the vast wilderness of West Texas.  Since we hadn’t heard one good thing about driving through West Texas and we didn’t want to take too long of a detour to Colorado (and thank the Lord for that because wildfires hit the day we would have arrived), Oklahoma City was the winner. 

The drive from New Mexico to OKC would be about 12 hours so we stopped a few hours shy of the city and tried our hand at camping in Tornado Alley.  While we didn’t see any tornados we did realize why people in that part of the country don’t tent camp in the summer: 100+ degree heat and overwhelming humidity is a recipe for utter discomfort. Our first night camping did have a bit of excitement when we spotted an armadillo sniffing around for bugs. We followed him around for a bit trying to get a good picture, only later to find out that they can carry leprosy. Oops, we won’t do that again.  
 

Our Armadillo Friend

Our next stop was OKC and our main destination was the Oklahoma City Memorial.  At the time of the bombing we were both too young to understand the gravity of what had happened but the memorial gave us a small glimpse into the physical and emotional damage that it caused.  It was a somber experience that we won’t soon forget. 

The Survivor Tree at the Oklahoma City Memorial

Our final stop before Austin was Lake Texoma – a huge lake located between OKC and Dallas.  Again, we were the only ones crazy enough to camp in the blistering heat. We passed time by enjoying the sight of fireflies and having an epic Yahtzee tournament.  The next morning we rose early to head to civilization (and AC) in Austin.  

YAHTZEE!

Oklahoma was and wasn’t what we expected. We knew that we would experience heat and humidity, but we did not anticipate the expanse of greenery. OKC would be a neat place to visit again (maybe catch a Thunder game?) but next time we will choose a milder month and/or air conditioning!

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New Mexico

As we crossed the border into New Mexico the landscape seemed to change almost immediately. Although it was still dry, there was much more greenery and beautiful rock formations scattered throughout. As we ventured toward Albuquerque, we decided to stop off at El Morro National Monument – and boy were we glad we did. While there we walked along Inscription Rock which features carvings made into the rock dating back to the 1600’s. We also trekked to Indian Pueblo ruins and were able to see the sight as well as ask questions of some Native Americans who were doing preservation work. 

Pueblo Ruins at El Morro

Our next day was spent in Albuquerque. We started out (per the suggestion of Kaila’s cousin) at the Frontier Restaurant, which seems to be a local favorite and tourist hot spot. Choosing a menu item was difficult because everything looked delicious and, true to New Mexican fashion, everything had the option of green chile. While recovering from our breakfast we perused in and out of the shops of Old Town. After finding a few treasures we were excited to discover several Navajo Code Talkers signing books and answering questions about their experiences in World War II. It was amazing to have the opportunity to hear their stories and to thank them for their service; we’re definitely going to watch the movie when we get home! Our last stop in Albuquerque was at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Here they showcased a historical account of the New Mexican Indian Pueblo people and also displayed many artifacts and cultural items. We finished our time at the museum watching traditional tribal dancers. 

Frontier Restaurant in ABQ

We began our next day at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. It was very reminiscent to Portland’s – only with less clouds and more chile. Later we set out to the Old Town area which is famed for its countless artisan shops and 400 year old Plaza. The area was fun to explore given its eclectic nature and Southwestern architecture.  While there we even happened upon a mini parade, complete with Shriners zipping around on scooters. Our last stop in Santa Fe was a self guided tour through the state capitol building. Keeping true to Santa Fe culture, there was local artwork exhibited throughout the entire structure. 

Plaza in Old Town Santa Fe

Of the Southwestern states that we visited, New Mexico was definitely our favorite. Though hot and dry, one sunset alone was well worth enduring the elements. Oh, and good news, we were able to get gas for $3.10 on an Indian Reservation!

Wait! Are we in Santa Fe or Portland???

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