Nola in December

i find myself walking along a treelined street that boasts homes on the National Historic Registry at every turn. As i look above at the clear blue sky i notice the beads that hang as jewels from the trees, hundreds of them sway in the breeze and sparkle as the sun hits them just right. the streetcar passes at an appropriate southern pace and i wonder again how it happened that i am in New Orleans.

according to the locals it is cool for this time of year, usually it would be in the 60s, but for a few days, the days i happen to be here it is only inching towards 50. with a blue sky and bright sun i can forgive the lack of warmth and revel in being outside without the thought of an umbrella or raincoat. to be clear, i own neither so while i may think of using them in San Francisco or Oregon, i will not. instead i opt for withdrawing indoors or getting wet.

passing the time in the hotel sitting room i listen to the many languages being spoken, admire the architecture of this cerca 1800s building, and ponder the people that have sat in this same antique chair. it is a luxury as a traveler to have the time to sit and just take it all in, at least it is for me. there is no better way to get to know a place than to watch and listen to the people as they go about their daily activities. certainly museums and tours can tell you a lot, but so can just being in the moment with people, and the locale doesn't really matter.

and so today alone i will exchange my antique chair for a seat at a local lunch hangout, a park bench, a church pew, a bar stool, and finally a chair on the veranda.