That first time in New Orleans with the whole fambo after the timeshare purchase

The first time I encountered New Orleans, it was a family trip at least twenty years ago. We all went, meaning Mom, Dad, Tom, Me, Sethie, Mary and Grandpa and Grandma. The selection of New Orleans as the family trip destination of choice consisted of one major factor:

Mom and dad taken a weekend trip to NOLA earlier that year....
and they came home with a timeshare.

... yes, exactly.

If you know my parents, this is extremely out of character. My eyebrows went through my hairline and stayed up there for a week. 

My major memories of that trip were being blown away by the sprawling lantana flowers (which I love) and the ironwork (which I might love more).

Lantana and Ironwork in New Orleans

I also have a distinct recollection of the evening of our arrival. Tom and I shared a suite with Sethie and Mary. Someone suggested going out for a hamburger and I begged off. I was tired and I don't eat hamburgers anyway.

This all transpired before cell phones, let's keep this in mind.

Anyway, Sethie, Mary and Tom set out for a quick bite. I woke up at 6am and they were still not back. 

As the sun broke, the three of them tottered in with some crazy story about getting into a fight with a tarot card reader and accidentally finding themselves in some secret room in the back of a bar which apparently they could not escape from for like 7 hours.

Clearly the city has its rabbit holes.

In a shout out to Mary, she actually got up the following morning. Tom and Sethie, not so much.