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USA 2026 Calkins
  • Vicki Calkin
  • Simon Calkin
  • Vicki Calkin
  • Simon Calkin

USA 2026 Calkins

A 35-day adventure by Vicki & Simon Read more
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  • USA 2026 Calkins

    Natchez William Johnson House 9.5.26

    May 9 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    Visited this original 1841 house, built by William Johnson who was born a slave but emancipated at eleven years old. He kept a diary, so there are 16 years of records which provide a degree of insight to his life, and Natchez. The house itself was not interesting, downstairs was set up like an educational walk about, and upstairs was not open to view. However, it was very interesting to learn more about the life of a coloured man and his family, and how within constraints they prospered. Sadly, not a happy ending though, which negates the earlier feel good factor!Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins

    Houmas House Accommodation 10.5.26

    May 10 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Located in the grounds of Houmas House Plantation amongst magnificent gardens were small houses (replicating plantation cabins). Though the cabins are not original themselves (probably something to be grateful for) they were beautifully appointed, and furnished with furniture original to the plantation period (purchased from other plantation homes in the local area).Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    Congo Square Memorial
    Congo Square MemorialLouis received freedom of city. Same day was refused entry thru maindoor.Didnt return to New OrleansSquirrels 🐿️1

    New Orleans Treme Tour 11.5.26

    May 11 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Erin, our guide, took us on a tour of the Treme District. Treme was home to those of Afro/American descent. Initially as slaves, the people would gather in the park to meet and converse in their native tongue(s) depending on which area of Africa they had been taken from. There they could catch up on news, sing and dance, worship, and exchange or sell excess food they had grown. Eventually a community established itself there, with orderly blocks and blocks of homes, (as per photo shared by Erin). These were later razed under the inaccurate presumption that the state would get funding to enact proposed "improvements" to the area to turn it into a collective of arts related buildings. (Like arts related buildings are high on Maslows hierarchy of needs). Instead families by the hundreds lost their homes, the community based employment opportunities dried up and people suffered. Many moved North to escape th effects of institutionalised racism/social engineering.
    Erin also explained that as the Treme area was not too badly affected by Hurricane Katrina, many houses have been bought up by out of towners and are often let as holiday homes, thus cutting down on residential rentals (already in short supply cos of houses written off) and inflating house prices. A bit of a sobering tour 😞    Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins

    New Orleans Ultimate Swamp Tour 11.5.26

    May 11 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    There was the risk taker guide, and the sinewy, stealthy alligators themselves, but the most impressive element of this trip for me were the cypress trees growing up out of the water, dripping Spanish Moss. Amazing to think this trip departed from a suburb of New Orleans that backs up to one of the many twists and turns of the Mississippi River as it passes through the city on it's way to the sea.Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    See big apricot colored gate (stop gate) over on left side of the gap (by yellow)

    New Orleans Flood Protection

    May 12 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    Behind mural wall is a very long steel gate that in case of flooding would roll across to create a continuous bund (levee) to stop water from Mississippi River coming through and flooding the city

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    2
    21Shards of bone visible

    New Orleans City of the Dead Tour 12.5.26

    May 12 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I'm a ghoul. I love old cemeteries. I thought Theo and I were going to admire old tombs and headstones, and we did. But we got a whole lot more. We learned a lot of New Orleans history, e.g. with a very high water table it was difficult to keep your dead buried - people. and later, bits of bone, kept floating up to the surface of the grave. For the high numbers of Catholic folk in New Orleans cremation was not an option. Eventually the solution was discovered, bury you dead above the ground, in tombs. Also, you can show off with beautiful buildings, iron surrounds and marble. We learned
    (how after a huge fire in the city people built replacement homes with sloped rooves and water barrels to collect rain runoff, for fighting future infernos). And then not long afterward yellow fever started wiping out the city's population (mosquitos breeding in the stagnant barrel water). After a while (deaths kept reoccurring every summer) townfolk concluded that reopening their family tomb to send off the next victim was letting out the killer germs, so because so many burials were occurring per family, there were walls built of coffin shapes that were treated like "holding cells". Not until at least one year and one day later could they be opened, and remains could then be rehoused in the family tomb. We learned the tombs have shelves in them (good planning, but not enough to keep up with the annual yellow fever epidemic). There's a metal plate on the tomb front with screws that would be removed to reveal the rough brickwork/plastering after last burial. This would be broken open to access the shelving. 10 foot pole would be used to scrape forward the remains which would be poured into a cloth bag which was then pushed to the back of the shelf to fall into a big hole underneath the tomb. Thus the meaning of the sayings "I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole" and "a bag of bones".
    If you're wondering how difficult it would be to scrape your hefty great uncle forward to be bagged up, fear not. Apparently a summer in a tomb would reduce the body to damn all (ironic when you think they're trying to avoid cremation). I think Blade, the guide, mentioned temperatures inside of 400F (204C)    Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    Simon very excitedly pointed out that these lights on driveway entrance are actually gas powered.I liked the way the tree roots have been shaped to grow up to pavementUsed to be able to tour this cemetery but no longer-bad behaviour, upsetting mourners and overload!

    New Orleans Garden District 1/3 13.5.26

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Beautiful houses, gates, doors and details! Erin, our guide, was very knowledgeable of area having grown locally, attended school in Garden District, and currently lives 10 blocks away from where we were.
    1718 French settlers arrived
    1762 Spanish controlled New Orleans
    1801 French regained control
    1803 Americans gained Louisiana

    She explained French Quarter houses are older, and on small plots of land close to centre of town/port (shoulder to shoulder from what I saw). Built with private outdoor area to the rear, for privacy. Not flashy either.

    Garden District Area is a little further out of town, with mansions on large plots of land, to show off wealth and staus of (in the opinion of the French) nouveau riche Americans. Also built with space for gardens between road and house, buffering home owner from unsightly and stinky roads, mud, horse poo and chamberpot contents!    Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins

    New Orleans Garden District 13.5.26

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Morning Tour of this house in the Garden District, and walk around the streets, stoping to talk about the buildings and area. Beautiful buildings and lots of historical and architectural info, and funny stories from the very knowledgeable guide, ErinRead more

  • USA 2026 Calkins

    New Orleans Creole Queen 13.5.26

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Daytrip on the Creole Queen on the Mississippi River to the site of the Battle of New Orleans - Brits. vs. Amerian forces led by Jackson.
    Deja vu of Gallipoli, Poms had vastly more troops, but still managed to lose the battle and wipe out huge numbers of their men (though a heavy fog the morning of the battle, and their red jackets weren't helpful either!)
    Result was the Louisiana Purchase stayed in the hands of Americans (it represented 60 percent of America). Had the battle been lost the Brits would also have control of the Mississippi River, the port, and access to much more land to the west and east, up the very considerable length of the river; land which they would have wished to (re)claim    Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins

    New Orleans Cambria Hotel

    May 14 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Cool little hotel. Lovely architecture (as many have been) and nice room/amenities. I was most excited to have full length windows at one end of our room. Finally some natural light!

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    Fancy pants houses on water's edge
    Fancy pants houses on water's edgeRoadside beach area as we arrived1Cool doorhandles, but I got photobombed1Still more rain coming I think3

    Cocoa Beach to Clearwater Beach 17.5.26

    May 17–18 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Three hour drive today, which we broke up with a quick stop to shop at Walmart (like K-mart). Revlon makeup is very cheap AND they still have my favourite lipstick colour 💄 just sayin'
    Then we had yummy lunch at Lenny's Diner in Clearwater. Arrived in beautiful weather (got up to 97 F). We then shopped at REI Co-op (Recreational Equipment, Inc - stocks gear like Kathmandu - but is a consumer co-operative). While we were inside thunder started and we had the fullworks! What the hang? In 75 minutes temperature dropped 24 degrees Fahrenheit, but it feels like it's building up again in heat at 6.45pm. So, I'm by the pool (last two pics)
    A far less busy day today 🤩    Read more

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    4321

    Clearwater to Miami

    May 18 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Monday 18th May 2026

  • USA 2026 Calkins
    3Flyovers and riads everywhere416Look at the view out the stadium windows12Projective nose construction of new flyoverTheo doing the hard mahi1Lift Simon needed to use in Miami cos hotel didn't have a ramp entranceNight rollerbladering group on the street. They'd earlier been ducking and weaving amongst traffic

    Miami Little Havana and Baseball

    May 19 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Tuesday 19th May 2026
    Lovely leisurely start to the day, then delightful lunch in Little Havana, where we passed domino playing area, filled tables and lots of chatter. Afterward to Baseball game - couldn't believe I loved it!
    Miami Marlins vs Atlantla Braves. Sadly our Marlins didn't hold their initial lead, even tho Theo was wearing a themed shirt (as another supporter pointed out)
    Thanks Theo for all the organisation!
    Driving home we were surprised by a group of rollerbladers zooming along amongst the traffic, it was raining so bad photos were taken, but after passing them sheltering under shop verandahs, they passed us in side street after we'd parked up our wagon.    Read more