America, I love you!

I am desperately, desperately trying to get used to life in Finland.  Because I look Finnish and sound Finnish, I don't think people realise exactly what a huge culture shock it's been for me, moving here.  I've been away for over 20 years, and fitting right back into things isn't exactly a piece of cake.  I'm going to give it my best shot, and do my best to enjoy my time here.

A dreamer by nature, I'm sitting here on this cold autumn day thinking back to life, trips and traveling in my favourite place of all, the US of A.  This weird and wonderful land of plenty, full of friendly faces, sprawling cities, plains of nothingness and anything and everything your heart can desire.

The last place I visited a few times was New Orleans, or N'awlins, as the locals like to call it.  This bouillabaisse of all things Cajun, Carribean, Funk and Jazz inspires like nowhere else I've been.  The sweaty tunes flowing out of dingy little jazz clubs, world-famous bartenders serving up the Sazeracs, tiny little antique art shops lined up underneath the balconies of the French Quarter, with the smell of the mighty Mississippi penetrating the city, mixing up with the acidity of Bourbon street's cleaning detergent.  At night the city comes alive, tempting its visitors with rows of bars, strip clubs, and tarot.  In the morning, the cleaning trucks arrive, the sins of the previous night washed away.
A city which is still struggling to re-build itself following devastation.

Here are some of my favourite photos from trips there.

Oh, I'm so glad America is back in fashion!  Baby, can we go visit soon?