Hi there! While taking a break from my zaney story about saving the world from Trump before Part II, let's talk about the first REAL vacation that I've taken since the Covid-19 pandemic happened. I very recently went to New Orleans and Atlanta, and let me tell you, it was a very different time but very doable trip during Covid-19. I went through crowded airplanes, bus rides, and even a few museums. There were times when I felt questionable about safety, but I did everything I could to keep myself safe, such as social distancing and wearing my mask — both extremely inconvenient, but I guess necessary at this time. I hope we don't have to do this forever, or even more than six more months. So, let's talk about the journey of my first real trip during Covid-19.
Fortunately a good amount of museums were open. Some of the museums I went to were the World War II Museum, Ogden Museum of Art, and the highlight, Mardi Gras World. The World War II Museum is a great museum for those who love history, particularly World War II. There are a lot of artifacts one can see at this museum. The museum takes us back in time, particularly with the opening train exhibit. We get to learn about all the history and events of how the Japanese and Russians joined forces with the Nazis. We get to see replicas of what it was like to fight in battle. A small museum right nearby is the Ogden Museum of Art, and it has some nice art that one can visually take in. It has four different levels with all different art. It's worth checking out as something to do.
Without a doubt, the best part of New Orleans was Mardi Gras World. The museum displays the making of the Mardi Gras festival and what it takes for the event to happen. The opening of the museum features floats from previous Mardi Gras. After one buys their tickets, one would watch a video about what goes into making Mardi Gras the party of the year. Then we get a tour of more floats from previous Mardi Gras. The museum made me one day want to check out Mardi Gras because of all the fun the festival is. Mardi Gras, as well as other museums I didn't see this time around, give me a reason to return to New Orleans.
I'd like to talk about what else there is to check out in New Orleans. Jackson Square has some good museums to check out, such as The Cabildo and The Presbytere. The Cabildo has some history from the Civil War and the history of New Orleans. The Presbytere is a great history museum of life in New Orleans, including elements of Mardi Gras and the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe. The first floor discusses how Hurricane Katrina affected New Orleans, from days before to months later. It makes me grateful that I didn't endure Hurricane Katrina. The second floor features props from Mardi Gras, such as costumes and what else goes into the celebrations. Since I am a fan of going to zoos, one should check out the Audubon Zoo. The zoo has different types of animals, such as African and Asian animals like lions, elephants, and tigers. There also is a swamp-like area with birds and swampy waters in the zoo. Something else to check out would be Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, which is a very lively environment even during Covid-19. People were having drinks, partying, and playing music.
As most of you know, I like to go to museums and look for a bundle that includes activities to save money. The best pass I would recommend to you is the New Orleans Sightseeing Pass. It includes all of the things that I have suggested you see in New Orleans. I get a pass so I have an idea what activities I'm going to be seeing when I go to a particular city. I would recommend that you get it if you go to New Orleans.
Now for when I went to Atlanta. I checked out some museums, such as The World of Coca-Cola, which is great if one is interested in the history of Coca-Cola. The High Museum of Art is a good art museum with all different types of art. The Center for Puppetry Arts is another museum one would want to check out, especially for those who are into puppets, The Muppets, or Sesame Street.
For those who want to do a bunch of activities, one should look into the Atlanta Citypass. Some of the activities included are The World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, The Fernbanks Museum of Natural History, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, College Football Hall of Fame, and Atlanta Zoo. The CNN Tour is included but closed due to Covid restrictions and was damaged in the George Floyd protest. Atlanta had a lot of Biden/Harris and BLM signs in front of people's houses.
Since we're on the subject of traveling during Covid, let's talk about some of the procedures that happened in New Orleans and Atlanta. The mask-wearing is universal. New Orleans made us input our information for contact tracing. Also, one needs either a reservation or to check the attendance at the place they're going to see if they can get in at the time they want. A lot of museums and restaurants check your temperature. Fortunately, at this time there's no Covid test or quarantine required. Hopefully a vaccine will be available soon and will suffice as a way to travel again.
Overall, New Orleans/Atlanta was a nice return to travel. Let me be honest and say that as much as Covid was an issue, a bigger issue that happened to me was when I went to South Carolina during Hurricane Irma. I felt that New Orleans was a nice and quaint city, but very small. I wasn't a big Atlanta fan and felt that it was like Downtown Los Angeles when I was a kid before it expanded. I hope to do more travels, but join me next time when I finish the story of my movie friends and me saving the world from Donald Trump in Stephen Saves the World Part II.
