Happy new year!

Happy new year from out New Orleans or 'Nawleans' as they pronounce it here. Last days we've been driving a lot. The day that we left Washington we first visited the Arlington National cemetery (there are the tomb of the unknown soldier and J.F. Kennedy graveside). So we saw the guards changing at the tomb of the unknown soldier, that was pretty particular. Just in short, 24 hours per day, 7 hours per week there are guards walking in front of the tomb. They make 21 steps to the left, turn around with a whole kind of acts and then they make 21 steps back again. Every hour they change guards during a small ceremony. After we visited the cemetery we drove down in the direction of Memphis. The first night we staid over in a road hotel next to highway in the middle of nowhere. We did do some grocery at Wal-Mart before we went to the hotel and had a simple but great breakfast because we were in Appalachian mountains so we had a great view from out the breakfast room. We drove further down to Nashville. There we stayed in the Music City Hostel which was again totally different then the other places where we stayed before. It almost looked like a kind of hippie camp spot or something like that but the facilities where good and we had a nice room to hang out. In the evening some of our group decided to go out but I stayed with some others in the hostel to save some energy for the next day (Memphis). So at six thirty in the morning we were on the road again to Memphis. Again there were to many things to see so choices had to been made. I decided not to go to Graceland but to spend the whole day in and around the city centre. Because most of the group wanted to see Graceland, Art dropped just two of us in the centre. There we went to the National civil rights museum which used to be the Lorraine motel. In fact it's the place where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. They even rebuild his room to the way it was on the day of his assassination and you walk less then a meter from the place were it happened. On the other side of the building you could visit the place where the shooter stood and they also rebuild that room. Of course the museum was to big and after three hours we were standing in the front again with to much information in our heads! But it was nice to have been there. We took a quick lunch and I went to the Gibson factory. Unfortunately they were fully booked on their tours through the factory, which was a bit disappointment but right across the Gibson factory was the Rock and Soul museum. So I decided to check that one out to get some of the Elvis impressions anyhow. The museum wasn't that big but it was well organized and you received a headphone were you could give in numbers to hear more background stories or great music. The day ended again to soon, as all the days are doing during my time in America and I went up to Beale street were we met each other. On the way I passed Art who asked me if I wanted a quick drink. Well yes of course, so we went into BB King and took a few drinks. A bit to late we rushed to the meeting point were we met the others. We walked to the hotel (which was fabulous! I had for example five pillows on my bed!). We met again in the lobby and went back to Beale street. We had a great meal (the best ribs ever) at BB Kings with life music on the background! And afterwards we checked out the street and ended up in a small nice looking, American country style bar. We met a couple which were also sitting at the bar and were enjoying the music and we had a nice conversation. The next day we drove to New Orleans and there we are now… We are staying all together in a house which belongs to a hotel. We have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, our own kitchen and a giant living room including a bar! Normally the house is for ten persons but Art arranged some extra beds (so here I am sitting on my bed in the living room). Yesterday evening we already checked out Bourbon street. For the persons that know Stratumseind in Eindhoven; put this street ten times behind each other, place live music on each corner and add a temperature from 20 degrees Celsius, you will have Bourbon street! We stood on the balconies and drunk a drink named Hurricane which is typical from New Orleans and a pretty deadly drink also! Today I went out with Germans. Their camera lens was broken and we took a taxi to the other site of the city where we found a good camera store. The people in New Orleans are really kind, nice and in for a conversation so while the Germans were looking for the right lens I had some interesting conversations about the New Orleans, America and Europe. After they found the lens we went back and we checked out the French quarter where we are staying now (only three streets from Bourbon street. When we arrived back at the house Art already prepared all different kind of heads, bells and I don't know what kind of 2011 stuff else, but it looks really great! I really want to check out the fireworks above the Mississippi and I can't wait until it's twelve. So I'll keep it with this, we have our famous family meeting in just a few moments. Okay real quick then, a familie meeting? Yes we all sit together mostly two times a day. Art brings in his, now already famous whiteboard and tells us about the trip that we make that day or about the city where we are or about anything else interesting. I can assure you, I'm really having a great time here. Could 2011 ever start better?! A good 2011 to you all!