After three straight weekends away, I am spending a quiet weekend at home in Silver Spring. Tonight people were out to watching this band play on the plaza. There is live music on Thursday thru Sunday all summer long in downtown Silver Spring. And the fountains are a big kid with the kids. 
Spent the last night in North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Saw the Dean Center (top picture) home of the University of North Carolina Mens Basketball team. The center was named after legendary coach Dean Smith (who led them to two NCAA titles). The men's basketball team have won 4 total NCAA titles and 17 ACC tournaments. The campus was very large and picturesque. The above building is the main library. Also the statue was on main campus grass (a gift of a recent graduating class). Downtown Chapel Hill has a lot to offer with over 80 restaurants and 25 music venues (according to one sign for a condo trying to get people to live in downtown Chapel Hill). The above picture is of "Carolina Coffee Shop" (which actually is a bar/restaurant) opened in 1922. The second to last picture is where we had dinner a popular local place called "Crook's Corner". I had the shrimp and grits, and it was probably the best meal of the trip! Great way to end a fun vacation!
These pictures are from the Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh. It's home to many confederate soldiers (including 137 soldiers from NC that died in the Battle of Gettysburg.) It's also the future home of former NC Senator Jessie Helms (his grave is all set for him and his wife) as seen in the first picture above. I have many more pictures from this historic cemetery, and I will try to post them later this week when my travels are all done. The house in the above photograph is the birth home of President Andrew Johnson. He became president after Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. He was mentioned a lot during the Clinton impeachments in the late 90's because a Congressional committee produced a bill of articles of impeachment trying to remove him from office, however there attempts also failed in full House vote in 1867. 
Went to Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head tonight (Thursday) to check out the sand dunes and watch the sunset. The sand dunes are said to be "tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States." People gather to fly kites, get great views of the both ocean and the sound, roll down the dunes (like the little girl in the last picture) and watch the sun set. Even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the sun went into large cloud (that some on the dunes said may be smoke from the continue fires here in North Carolina which continue to burn).
Back from New Orleans, and apparently there has been a heat wave going on in the North East. It's very ironic that it's hotter here (DC area) than in New Orleans. Trip was great! I was excited this afternoon for a second during the Charlotte layover when I saw what I thought could be the Philadelphia Eagles Team Plane (top picture). I know it's not even pre-season, but I thought maybe something was going on in Charlotte with the team. But a few minutes later I saw another plane painted with the Carolina Panthers Team colors and logo. I guess a little US Airways promotion or something? 
New Orleans at night.. I am in before midnight (local time) on the final night before leaving the "Big Easy" Earlier in the day went to the WWII Museum (formally known at the D-Day Museum). Then started the night by winning $111+ on slots (on one nickel machine) at Harrahs Casino near the Mississippi River. After a good dinner at Crescent City Brewery, hung out on Bourbon Street, visiting on of my favorite places... the piano bar (second to last picture) at Pat O'Brien. Also listened to little blues @ Funky Pirate (last picture).
Going to do today's posting in two parts, because it's taking a long time to load pictures and I want to go for a swim. So I started the day by going to mass at the famous St. Louis Cathedral located at Jackson Square. You might remember it as the backdrop for President Bush's big address a few weeks after Katrina. The mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of New Orleans Alfred Hughes. It was very cool experience (and I was happy I made it to church while on vacation!!!). Afterwords, I met up with my friend and we had a Beignet (which is a doughnut) at the famous Cafe du Monde (located across from Jackson Square. I had never made it to Cafe du Monde in my previous trips to New Orleans, so I was happy to see what all the fuss was about. The Beignets (three for $1.82) were great! More later about the rest of my day..
Arrived in New Orleans... After a unexpected long layover in Charlotte. On the connecting flight from Charlotte to New Orleans, about 4,000 feet above air they announced we had to return to the airport because of a open cargo door. they said we "should" have a normal landing. we did land safely, however we were on the ground for close to two hours before they fixed the problem. apparently the cargo door was closed, it was just a sensor that just kept going off. these two pictures are from the top of my hotel, now me and my friend are heading out to the French Quarter. Friday Night in New Orleans!!! I will post more this weekend.
