https://www.neworleans.com/ Archives - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

Cruise through the American Civil War

9th July 20239th July 2023 funtime65

They’ve come a long way from the ironclads, and luxury liners are by far the safest way to cruise through the American Civil War.

American Cruise Lines have launched a history tourist’s dream, a 35-day Civil War Battlefields Cruise.

Where you’ll get to travel in the footsteps of the flower of America from the Union and the Confederacy.

ACS will bring you to every significant battlefield of the Civil War and 13 states.

So you’ll visit Fort Sumter, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Antietam and more.

And you’ll sail along the Mississippi River, the Tennessee River, the Potomac River, the East Coast Intracoastal Waterway and Chesapeake Bay.

All on board American Melody, American Symphony and American Eagle.

In the footsteps

The Virginian: At ‘Stonewall’ Jackson’s statue in Manassas

Of course, as much as we’ve absorbed of the American Civil War from our history degree.

And visits to Manassas and military hospitals in Virginia, and Tennessee, Mississippi and the buffalo soldiers in Texas.

There is nothing quite like being guided by someone with family history in the fight.

Davis’s boy

On a pedestal: Jefferson Davis in New Orleans

With the theme cruise led by Bertram Hayes-Davis, no less, the great-great-grandson of President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis.

Civil War buffs will get to experience the Anaconda/Vicksburg Campaign, the Western Theater, General Sherman’s March, Union Advantage/Naval Power, the Eastern Theater and the Battle of Gettysburg.

Cruise ship routes are connected via motor coach, with all transfers included.

The Big Easy

And you’ll get the added bonus of a complimentary pre-cruise stay in New Orleans, The Big Easy.

Hotels between your cruise, daily excursions and entertainment and all meals and drink.

And we know from our previous Battlefields and Booze adventures in these parts that the soldiers of the day loved their liquor.

So you’ll leave New Orleans on May 4, and end in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on June 6.

Where, we’d be disappointed if you didn’t channel your best Abraham Lincoln and deliver these immortal lines…

‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’

All of which freedom is priceless though alas for the rest of us you’ll maybe have to dig into the exchequer.

With your cruise through the American Civil War setting you back from $24,700.

Countries

SuperRiRi Bowl

12th February 2023 funtime65

And for the day that’s in it a celebration of half-time shows which we will name for this year the SuperRiRi Bowl.

But while it is now the hottest ticket in showbiz for an entertainer it wasn’t ever thus.

With marching bands, magic card tricksters and Elvis Presley impersonators then the order of the day.

Who back in 1979 entertained the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys at the Miami Orange Bowl.

We’ll get onto the superstars in due course but a shout-out for now for the likes of Dominican cadence-lypso group.

Super Bowl Thriller

Super Bowl went on a run of musical themes over the Eighties and early Nineties.

Punctuated only by the likes of New Kids on the Block and Gloria Estefan.

The turning point came 30 years ago when the biggest star of his day (or for many any day) Michael Jackson rocked up.

It was a moment frozen in time, literally, as MJ held a statue pose for 30 seconds at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena in California.

Before blowing the audience away with his set.

And long after the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills in the final we’re still talking about Jacko’s show.

As with most things in music where Michael led the rest followed.

Chain Reaction

His great friend Diana Ross headlined in Tempe, Arizona.

Before we entered the era of multiple acts for the 1997 showpiece in New Orleans.

Where we were treated to the Blues Brothers, ZZ Top and James Brown.

Super Bowl was in full swing by now and they celebrated 40 years of Motown in style in 1998 in San Diego.

With Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, and the Temptations getting everybody up on their feet.

Gloria was back the following year alongside Stevie Wonder to sing out the Millennium.

A new Millennium

The 2002 iteration back in New Orleans was always going to be challenging in the wake of the previous year’s 9/11.

For many the Noughties were the high point of the halftime shows.

With Paul McCartney (Jacksonville), The Rolling Stones (Detroit), Prince (Miami) and Bruce Springsteen (Tampa) overshadowing for many the actual sport.

For others it was the last decade with The Who (Miami again), Madonna (Indianapolis), Beyoncé (New Orleans), Bruno Mars (New Jersey), Katy Perry (Phoenix) and Lady Gaga (Houston).

From J-Lo to Ri-Ri

This decade has seen a concentration on R&B, Dance and Hip-Hop.

With Shakira and J-Lo heralding in the Twenties in Miami before The Weeknd put on a spectacular set up the road in Tampa.

Last year in LA saw a feast of rap if that’s the collective term with Dr Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar leaving us all wanting more.

That more tonight comes in the shape of our favourite Caribbean queen.

Enjoy your SuperRiRi Bowl.

Countries

What’s in a name Tennessee Williams?

11th February 2023 funtime65

He hailed from Mississippi, set his most famous play in New Orleans and settled in the Florida Keys, so what’s in a name Tennessee Williams?

It’ll be 40 years later this month since the great Deep South playwright got off the Streetcar for the last time.

And for those who want to retrace his steps in The Big Easy Williams helpfully pointed us in the direction of Desire.

‘No 632 Elysian Fields Avenue, “running between the L & N [railroad] tracks and the [Mississippi] River,” adjacent to the French Quarter.

The Big Tennesseasy

Anyone for Tennessee: His fave Big Easy eaterie

While Galatoire’s, a Parisian brasserie which specialises in French/Creole food is where Williams would dine out.

It probably helped Williams’ career being the only man on Earth called Tennessee.

Although by rights he should have been called Mississippi… or maybe not.

The fact is Thomas Williams only became Tennessee when he was 28.

Given the name by a student friend who loosely identified as a Southerner, hence Tennessee.

And because his father hailed from The Volunteer State.

All of which adds up to Williams being a well-travelled Man of the South.

Miss is a hit

Hailing from Columbus, Mississippi Williams, the town naturally celebrates its favourite son.

At the Tennessee Williams House Museum & Welcome Center.

This home was the rectory of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where grandfather, the Reverend Walter Dakin, served.

And it could have been lost to the developers when 30 years ago it was set to be torn down to make room for a church expansion.

So, in typical Southern fashion (think WC Handy in Beale Street, Mississippi) the home was loaded onto flatbed trucks and taken to its new site on Main Street.

If Columbus, Mississippi, was the start point then the Florida Keys was where Williams made his later life.

Key to Williams

He spent three decades in the Keys which this year marks its bicentenary (who knew?).

And Williams certainly made his mark alongside another literary heavyweight and peer Ernest Hemingway.

The Keys are marking Williams’ imprint on their corner of Florida with next month set aside to him.

Festivities include a fundraising garden party on 5 March, at the Key West home of Dennis Beaver and Bert Whitt.

Just Williams

Yes, only the founders of the exhibit that became the Tennessee Williams Museum.

Guests can get exclusive tours on 10 March, highlighting Williams’ The Rose Tattoo and 24 March, highlighting The Glass Menagerie.

Museum exhibits include personal photographs, rare memorabilia, a scale model of Williams’ Key West home.

And other items that chronicle his years on the island.

March of history

The celebration concludes with a ‘birthday party’ on 26 March — the 112th anniversary of Williams’ birth.

At the Tennessee Williams Museum.

So get on board, it’s the Florida Keys but hey, what’s in a name Tennessee Williams?

America, Countries, Food

Jimbalaya in New Orleans

28th January 202328th January 2023 funtime65

Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the Bayou as we go Platinum Jimbalaya in New Orleans.

Or if you’re being particular Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and a fillet gumbo but I took to Cajun cuisine the first time I sampled it.

On the forecourt of the American Travel Fair in Washington DC where the New Orleans delegation held their liquid breakfast.

Food for thought

That liquid being the famous local delicacy Sazerac.

And the jambalaya being a spicy rice pot of chicken andouille sausage, shrimps and veg.

Crawfish pie, well being crawfish which tastes a bit like lobster under a crust.

While gumbo is the Louisiana state dish, a soup of meat or shellfish, or maybe both.

With the Creole Holy Trinity of celery, bell peppers and onions.

New Orleans Saints

All of which was consumed with relish and all before 10am.

Before the Saints came marching in and led us into the conference room.

Those Saints being the famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Well we’re being seduced again by the tastes and sounds of New Orleans.

As the Big Easy delegation are the first out of the traps with details of their American Travel Fair party.

Which this May is being held in San Antonio in Texas.

And where helpfully their gig will be at the Westin Riverwalk where we’ll be staying…

Well, we are always where the party is at.

Rhythm in the heart

Of course New Orleans is just eight hours by road across the Deep South and served by road, rail, bus and air.

Or you could go Platinum with a 14-night fly-drive Southern Rhythms trip from €1519pp.

And what’s best is that this offer takes in and ticks off five states, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

But let’s get the Irish Travel providers and American experts to give us the highlights…

Their pitch is that we will get to tap your feet to the beat in Nashville, Memphis, Lafayette and New Orleans, the region that gave rise to every form of contemporary American music.

And visit Natchez, perhaps the best preserved antebellum town in the South.

As well as historic buildings in Atlanta, where the spirit of Scarlett O’Hara is still in the air.

Although for all her fineries we’d be more Downstairs and all that jazz.

And Jimbalaya in New Orleans.

America, Countries, Europe, Music

Ladies Marmalade from America to here

2nd April 20222nd April 2022 funtime65

Now I’m back home doin’ 9 to 5, livin’ the grey flannel life, but when I turn off to sleep, memories creep. More, more, more Ladies Marmalade from America to here.

I was a bit of a gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, Dada myself in CityWalk’s Rising Star Karaoke Bar in Orlando.

When despite the acclamations of the MC that my rendition of the Patti Labelle classic was ‘how to do a chick’s song’…

I actually murdered it, while my hosts taped me for posterity.

Daddy Marmalade

All of which nostalgia came flooding back as I watched Daddy’s Little Girl nail Lady Marmalade with her dance troupe in Tranent in East Lothian in Scotland.

Lady Marmalade, of course, is a celebration of Creole and bordillo culture ‘in old New Orleans.’

Though it morphs into Moulin Rouge by the time Lil’ Kim, Christina Aguilera & Pink! got their hands on it.

I know it was for the film Moulin Rouge, but I hazard that Lady Marmalade would only ever have worked a sizzling city like Norleans.

Norleans

Now those of us who criss-cross the Oo Es of Eh to cover its travel fairs especially look forward to when it is Norleans‘ turn.

We still wait, and for the time being we make do by smiling at the pictures of our old pal and Travel legend JP Thompson.

As he decked himself head to toe in kitsch carnival clothes for a Bourbon Street parade.

Why then he took shy when calls went up for karaoke volunteers that night in Orlando we’re still interrogating him to this day.

Now we’re all living with Covid one of the staples of a party holiday, the karaoke is thankfully back.

Karaoke memories

Fab four: Terry, Bernard, Claire and Ray in Portugal

Our first was in the fun surroundings of Cabanas in the Algarve, Portugal (and we keep going back)

When ‘Leeds Ray’ and myself whip-cracked away into the theme from Raw Hide.

More Booze Brothers us than Blues Brothers.

Nor did either of these embarrassments put me off getting up again and again.

But with age has come experience and I lowered my range to channel my inner Chuck Berry.

And Memphis Tennessee on board MSC in the Norwegian fjords.

Our duet

Tag team: With The Scary One in the fjords

On none of these occasions has the Scary One joined me on the Mic.

Although I guess she might plump for Hit the Road, Jock.

Whatever your karaoke song of choice, whether Ladies Marmalade from America to here, enjoy.

America, Countries, Europe, Ireland, Music, UK

Rainy Days and Songdays – International Women

8th March 20218th March 2021 funtime65

Women I will try to express my inner feelings and thankfulness for showing me the meaning of success. – Woman, John Lennon

And on this International Women’s Day a celebration of international women in the places they celebrated.

La Vie en Paris

Edith Piaf, Paris: A solemn fan stands in contemplation at the grave of La Chanteuse in Pere Lachaise.

And gives out to the family trying to negotiate their way through the myriad streets of the huge graveyard in Paris.

Before Le Custode rang the bell on us, in our ears.

Moi? Je ne regrette rien.

La Vie en L’Ecosse

Eddi Reader, Scotland: My own wee country has produced many memorable Scottish singers and singers of Scottish songs.

But I’m picking out Eddi Reader, once of Fairground Attraction, for making Robert Burns and Old Scotland hip again.

With songs such as Jamie Come Try Me and Comin’ Through The Rye.

Scottish Warriors

Eddi learned her craft in Paris where she channeled her own Edith and then brought that vibe over to old Scots.

Old Scots translates too to our brethren and sistren in Ireland.

Where she owned the audience in my adopted town in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, and Dublin.

La Vie en New Jersey

Movie star: Debbie Harry in Union City www.imdb.con

Debbie Harry, New Jersey: Was there anyone racier for an adolescent schoolboy in the late 70s than Debbie Harry?

And when she sings in French on Sunday Girl… incrèdible!

Debbie made even the starkest landscape sing and who can forget the video of her flirting with the camera in the Union City. boatyard?

La Vie en New Orleans et Orlando

Voulez-vous coucher avec mou c’est soir?

Not an invitation, though it was to the thousand or so in Orlando’s Rising Star Karaoke Club in CityWalk, Universal Orlando.

I channeled my own Lady Marmalade there and while you’d be forgiven for knowing it wasn’t French New Orleans.

The compere was gracious enough to tell the audience that that was the way to deliver a girls’ song.

ICI, AUX FEMMES