New Orleans — as foreign as America gets

Speaking of Cage, it was reported to us that he owned the Lalaurie Mansion for a short time before abruptly putting it up for sale and claiming he would never spend another night within its walls ever again.

No proper article can be written about New Orleans without mentioning the food. Now I'm not as culinarily adventurous as my wife, but I did enjoy the Cajun cooking as well as the more mainstream dishes found in the deep South. Seafood is predominant, and you can even find alligator steaks right by the Mississippi River in the heart of town. Kim enjoyed the breakfast we had one morning at a quaint little cafe where she had crayfish crepes. Sometimes I tease her that she has a crustacean leg still stuck between her teeth.

Whether it is for the picturesque and famous river, the intrigue of the many stories and histories of the city, or the thought-provoking architecture throughout the French Quarter, New Orleans should be on everybody's bucket list of "foreign" places to see. We highly recommend it.

Chris Hale is an aviation maintenance technician for a major airline who has traveled extensively with his family. In his spare time he writes novels inspired by places he's been. Find out more about his books at www.Chrisahale.com