"It's time to go"

I feel as though I’ve “crossed the hump” at this point. In other words, after this past weekend, I feel as though I’ve done “enough” in New Orleans – maybe not everything that I want to do but enough such that I wouldn’t be disappointed if I had to leave today. What I’m trying to say is I’m finally starting to feel like it’s time to go. I’m ready. Maybe that’s because I did so much this past weekend:

1. Farmer’s Market (Saturday, June 21st): Alex and I woke up early and visited Liz at the Farmer’s Market where she works. We bought some fresh blueberries (which tasted AMAZING), nectarines, and strawberry popsicles made with presumably real fruit! It was cool to see local farmers selling their goods to a mix of locals, tourists, and others. I really would have liked to sit down and listen to some of their stories, but there was no time…
2. Natchez Steamboat Tour (Saturday, June 21st): What’s the only thing better than live jazz? Live jazz on a steamboat heading down the Mississippi River at the sun sets accompanied by a dinner of meat, Louisiana Catfish, and Louisiana Spinach Salad!
3. Alligator Swamp Tour (Sunday, June 22nd): THIS was literally one of the best experiences of my life. There is NOTHING like flying through Bayou Country in an airboat at speeds up to 70 mph with my eyes closed and the wind whipping through my hair. Amidst the speed and rush, I felt a sort of calm serenity. It seemed like my cares evaporated, and I was just in a state of peace. Seeing Louisiana swampland for the first time is like seeing the Rocky Mountains of Colorado or the deserts of Arizona. You sit back and you say, “Wow! This, too, is America, and it is beautiful.” I also got to hold a baby alligator in my hands (about 2½ feet long) and saw many more that were probably about 10 feet long. The whole experience was truly memorable.