Widow Goes West: New Orleans, LA

New Orleans, LA: May 17 -19, 2026
Baxter and I boarded Amtrak’s Sunset Limited around 11:45 a.m. and arrived in New Orleans—the “Big Easy”—at about 9:30 p.m. Lyft offered the better fare to the Hampton Inn in the French Quarter. As the photo collage shows, Baxter was unimpressed by more boats, water, trees, and grass. Still, the ride was pleasant: we had no seatmates and enjoyed a 30-minute stop in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The photos do not do the hotel justice. Housed in a restored 1927 building on the Canal streetcar line, it is steps from the French Quarter. The Joy and Saenger theaters, Caesars Superdome, and Smoothie King Center are within a mile, while the Port of New Orleans and the convention center are three miles away. The lobby retains its original marble floors and columns. Although the elevators were small and slow, they worked well. Our room felt like a studio apartment, with a living area featuring a television, mini refrigerator, microwave, desk, chair, and comfortable couch. The bedroom was compact, likely because of the king-size bed, and the bathroom was clean and well designed. I was especially impressed by the hotel’s intricate woodwork, including the heavy wooden closet door, and by charming period details such as electrical outlets built into the baseboards.

Monday, May 18, 2026
We began the day with a short walk, then stopped in the lobby and took breakfast back to our room. Our New Orleans City Tour—covering the French Quarter, Garden District, and a cemetery—began with convenient pickup at the hotel. Our driver and guide, Gary, was a history teacher, so we learned a great deal as we traveled comfortably by air-conditioned bus through the Southern heat.

 We first explored the French Quarter, the city’s historic heart and saw landmarks: Jackson Square, The Cabildo, French Market and sStopped by the river to see the tall ships.

We then followed tree-lined boulevards past the stately Creole mansions of the Garden District before continuing to Lake Pontchartrain and the 17th Street Canal, where floodwaters entered the city after Hurricane Katrina.  The tour also took us through leafy City Park and concluded with a visit to one of New Orleans’ “Cities of the Dead,” known for elaborate above-ground tombs.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 3

• Because of flooding and limited space, burials are in above-ground tombs.
• The tombs can hold from four to 20 remains.
• To accommodate faiths that do not approve of cremation, bodies were not embalmed. They were placed in wooden caskets inside the tombs, where the intense heat accelerated decomposition.
• When a tomb was full and another burial was needed, earlier remains were placed in labeled bags and stored in a chamber beneath the floor.
• The tombs ranged from simple designs to elaborate monuments.
• Nicolas Cage Pyramid Tomb: Standing nine feet tall, the pyramid contrasts sharply with the traditional tombs around it. It bears the Latin inscription Omnia Ab Uno, meaning “Everything From One.” 

City Park
Returning to City Park was bittersweet. John and I had visited the Big Easy for New Year’s Eve in 1998 to visit one of his Vietnam buddies and his wife. One afternoon, we explored the park and stopped at Café du Monde, where I tried beignets and chicory coffee for the first time—and I was not a fan of either  then or now. This time, I sat at the same table we had shared on December 31, 1998, with the same items. That day, John returned with our order, placed it on the table, knelt beside me, opened a jewelry box, and sang the chorus of Journey’s “Faithfully.” I was shocked and embarrassed because everyone was watching, and I wondered whether I was on Candid Camera. Nearly 28 years later, I returned to that spot and smiled through tears as I remembered and missed my love. But God was at work. A worker noticed my tears and asked whether I was all right. After I shared my story, he handed me a small Jesus figure. We laughed, shared our faith, and turned the moment into a beautiful ending to the day.

New Orleans Pub Crawl
After resting following the city tour, I took a Lyft to Frenchmen Street for the pub crawl. Several guests had canceled, so the group consisted of two younger women, our guide, Eric, and me. Eric, whom we learned was a well-known composer, musician, and singer—made the evening both informative and fun. As we strolled through New Orleans’ premier live-music district, he shared stories about Frenchmen Street’s colorful history and led us into several popular clubs. One stop included a New Orleans-style cocktail. 

Tuesday, May 19, 2026
We spent the day exploring sites near the hotel by trolley. We visited several historic locations, including Pat O’Brien’s, where I had lunch but skipped the hurricane, the French Market, and several historic squares. We then returned to the hotel to prepare for our evening aboard the Steamboat Natchez.

Steamboat Natchez
The evening offered a distinct New Orleans experience aboard a paddle-wheel riverboat on the Mississippi. We enjoyed city views without the crowded streets, along with live jazz and dinner on board.

• Entertainment by the Grammy-nominated Dukes of Dixieland
• Live narration about the history of New Orleans and the Mississippi River
• A Southern-style dinner buffet
• Restrooms on board

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Because of the heat and humidity, I left Baxter at the hotel and headed to the National WWII Museum around 8:30 a.m., stopping briefly at St. Patrick’s Church along the way. The museum tells the story of America’s experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so future generations can understand the price of freedom. Its exhibits were thoughtfully organized by war theaters, with distinctive displays that made history feel immediate and real.

• Atlantic Theater of Operations
• China Burma India Theater of Operations
• Eastern Front
• European Theater of Operations
• Home Front
• Mediterranean Theater of Operations
• Pacific Theater of Operations

I also explored exhibits about the civilian and military branches that supported the war effort, along with profiles of General George S. Patton; Roy J. Caldwood, a World War II medic; Arthur Van Haren Jr., a Mexican American World War II fighter ace; Louis M. Prevost, father of Pope Leo XIV; and Private Randolph Ray Edwards, whose remains were laid to rest in New Orleans 80 years later.

Beyond All Boundaries: 4D Experience
Beyond All Boundaries, which premiered in 2009 and was fully remastered in 2025, immersed me in a powerful 48-minute journey from Pearl Harbor to V-J Day. Special effects brought America’s World War II story to life: I felt Tiger tanks rumbling across North Africa, steam rising from the jungles of Guadalcanal, and snow falling during the Battle of the Bulge. Loud explosions, flashing lights, fog, sudden chair movements, and graphic archival battlefield footage made the experience intense and realistic. It felt as though bullets flew overhead, bombs exploded nearby, and tanks charged toward me, jolting my seat. The presentation was deeply emotional because, until then, I could only imagine what service members—including John—had experienced on the ground.

The National WWII Museum’s vault holds nearly 250,000 artifacts. Although many are displayed, most remain in protected storage for research, future exhibitions, or restoration. The collection also includes wartime memoirs and more than 9,000 personal accounts from veterans of every service branch and theater of war.

I planned to leave the museum around 2 p.m. and return to the Hampton Inn by 3 because rain was expected. The walk back was quick and easy, though I took a different route and passed the Sazerac House, so I stopped inside. This free, three-story museum explains how the Sazerac cocktail, which became famous in New Orleans during the 1850s, grew into part of the city’s customs, traditions, and culture.

Afterward, I stopped at NOLA Poboys for takeout. Before entering, I thanked a Vietnam veteran for his service. When he asked whether I could help him get something to eat, I invited him inside and told him to order whatever he wanted. To my surprise, he chose only a grilled cheese sandwich, so I encouraged him to select something more substantial and bought him a po’boy, fries, a drink, and a few additional items. He was very grateful, and I truly felt the Lord had placed him in my path. While we waited, I shared the free gift of salvation. He then told me that he had accepted Jesus on a battlefield in Vietnam and had never walked away from his faith.