I have to get up at WHAT time???

Omitted from yesterday's blog... At dinner, Andrew received a cocktail sauce bath.  It was just as it would happen in the movies.  The waitress was trying to juggle too many plates and a little dish of cocktail sauce slipped off the plate.  It hit the floor with such force that the sauce flew straight up into the air and came down... on Andrew's head!  Devin was quick... he dipped his napkin into the pitcher of water and helped to wash off his head.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICKY!

Congratulations to Larissa, Amber, and Briana for being the first three up, dressed, and ready to go this morning!


















7:45 - meet for breakfast at Fleur de Lis

8:15 - board bus for the swamp boat tour... or at least it was supposed to.  We've quickly learned that the life style here is VERY laid back.  If we were told we would be picked up at 8:15, they will probably arrive around 8:45.  Guess we didn't have to choke down that breakfast after all.  Sorry!

Once again there were not enough seats on the bus for the number of people in our group.  We split into groups of 25 and 4.  Our bus driver gave us lots of good information on the way such as how people are buried in New Orleans (it's different because of the amount of water underground.  If they dig a hole and put the casket in, it just floats right back up!) and that alligators like to eat marshmallows and chicken.

9:30 - board the swamp boat

9:45 - swamp boat departs!

We were very excited to spot our first few alligators.  They were sometimes difficult to find, but we saw many.  We also saw a turtle, a deer, a blue heron, dragon flies, and a baby gator!  The real treat came (although not for Dolores who quickly made her way to the opposite side of the boat) when Captain Jason brought out the alligator for us to take turns holding.  Oh boy!  Most of us took turns holding it (except Dolores of course.  She screamed when Scott dropped his water bottle on the ground because she thought a gator jumped on the boat).

Can you spot him??

The dragon fly is singing happy birthday to Vicky

Up close and personal

The alligator whisperer

12:00 - return to hotel and relax for one hour

1:00 - leave for the walking tour

1:30 - a walking tour of the city with historical information.  At one of the stops the sprinkler system behind us decided it was a good time to water the lawn and hit Dolores' shorts... or so she claims that's how her shorts became all wet.

Our tourguide, Patricia.  Scott thinks Dolores looks like Daphne from Scooby Doo

A street musician

Don't worry, we didn't leave and go to Disney.  This was the town square.

2:45 - souvenir shopping and a stroll down Decatur Street

3:45 - Dinner at the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen

4:45 - Refresh at the hotel

5:30 - First walk to the Superdome and boy was it HOT!!  We were all sweaty by the time we made it.  We were sure glad we did.

Champion Square just outside the dome where you can stop and grab dinner.

Here we go!

What followed was an amazing 2 and a half hours (but I bet the kids will tell you it sure didn't feel that long) of music, dancing, speakers, and entertainment at the opening of the 2012 National Youth Gathering.  Wow!  With 33,309 people in the dome, you could certainly feel the energy.

The stage

A favorite, AGAPE (who sings Rejoice which the choir performed in church)

During slow songs, everyone gets out their cell phone and turns on the light... no lighters in here!

All lit up!

The dome is filling in... this was about 1/3 of the crowd.  We were nearly in the center section.

At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, an announcement was made over the sound system.  No one was allowed to leave the dome due to a severe thunder storm.  We waited an additional 45 minutes for the storm to slow down and the lightning to stop so we could leave.  The teens entertained themselves by making friends with neighbors, chatting, and then eventually nosing other people in the dome.  Nosing - touching someone typically on their arm with your nose with the intention of going unnoticed.  They were pretty good at it!  And when they were caught, there was normally a good laugh and an introduction.
When we finally left the dome, it was still raining the lightning continued, but the severity was down.  "Besides, the lightning will hit that woman holding that huge palm in the air before it gets to us!" - Scotty.

Upon returning to the hotel, we held our Final 15 (debriefing and small discussion), sang happy birthday to Vicky and had a birthday treat (zebra cakes, oatmeal creme pies, honey buns, etc), and went right to bed.  No arguments there!

Below are some of our favorite and not so favorite things we discussed at the Final 15:

Favorites:  Andrew was slapped by a fish on the swamp tour, the Superdome activities, making it to New Orleans, just being here, making new friends

Not so Favorites:  Cocktail sauce in the hair, sore feet, sore ankles, heat, the rain, getting a wet willy from a stranger :/

Having a great time!!!!