A trip to City Park, New Orleans

The Easy Rider in La Belle Esplanade's back garden

While there is nothing to complain about when relaxing in the palm-and-oleander oasis that makes up the gardens behind La Belle Esplanade, a colorful historic New Orleans bed and breakfast located in the middle of Esplanade Ridge, I sometimes like a change of scenery.  This is especially true on a balmy November afternoon when the migrating birds have passed by in the morning.  When  the morning is full of flute-like birdsong, the 2200 block of Esplanade Avenue can seem a bit empty in the afternoon.  The fish in the fountain are entertaining company, but I eventually get a yen to see some more of our fine feathered friends.

Today was that kind of day, so I saddled up my motor scooter and headed lakeside up Esplanade Avenue to City Park with a good book and some leftover bread.

A very talkative goose

Where I parked, there weren't any ducks.  There were however some geese who were happy I stopped by with fresh bread.

This goose kept mum

The geese were gobbling with such gusto that they attracted the attention of the swans in this neck of the lagoon.  Luckily, I had brought enough bread for everyone.

Swans mate for life

The swans kept a respectful distance, never venturing out of the water.  If their intent was to build up my pitching arm, they were disappointed.  They nibbled at a few bits that the wind caught, but most of the crumbs fell too close to shore for their comfort.  The turtles swam up and ate their fill.

Some swans are bachelors

 After I had run out bread, I sat on the bench and opened my book. The sky was partly cloudy, but I've found that it is always easy to find a spot of sunshine in New Orleans.  I settled in to catch some rays but before I could get very absorbed in the text, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.  I can watch a pelican all day long, even when it rarely moves.

Louisiana's State Bird in City Park, New Orleans, LA

I alternated between reading about historic New Orleans movie houses and watching the pelican perched a few yards away.  The fat old, twisted oak tree that dips into the lagoon behind the art museum is a favorite spot for pelicans to take their leisure.  They are usually solitary and I have never seen more than two on this tree, one in the crotch of branches that sprout over the water, and one in the branches that shade the turtles basking on the rocks.  One day, we did see four pelicans on the opposite shore.  They were having some sort of meeting so we left them alone.

Deciding to stretch my legs, I took a stroll around Big Lake where I saw another pelican.  

A pelican paddle boat in City Park, New Orleans

A few families had rented paddle boats at the park, slowly touring the lagoons.  The Saints were playing today so the park wasn't crowded, though there were plenty of people getting their exercise and enjoying the pleasant weather.  It is November in New Orleans and the temperature this afternoon was in the high 70s.

While most guests at La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast don't spend their afternoons as lazily and uneventfully as I sometimes do, they all enjoy the short scenic stroll to City Park right up the street.

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