New Orleans

Between the 22nd and 26th of November I went down to New Orleans, Lousiana. A really awsome old city. Living near the French Quarters the place I stayed at and the houses around had a very unique and cool look.

One of the coolest houses around  I think

The first day I spent just walking around and cheking things out. Also made my way to the classic Café du Monde and getting some coffee and beignets.

Coffee and beginets

Old and New

One of my favorite pictures is the one where
you can see the old French Quarters and the newer skyscrapers in the background.

Also took the opportunity to try a gator sauasage

Gator sausage

The next day I walked over to the National World War 2 museum. A truly amazing experience. I would definently say it is one of my top 3 museums I've been to so far. I spent something like 4-5 hours there. It was a museum that focused a lot on the battles of World War 2. I also went to 2 different experiences, Beyond All Boundaries and Final Mission: USS Tang Submarine Experience. Beyond All Boundaries is a 4D movie with Tom Hanks and explains how the war escalated. Final Mission is a experience where you get to be in the USS Tang submarine under it's final mission. Both experiences were very cool and definently added to the museum experience. And now pictures:

 Pictures from the World War 2 museum

Memory for hurricane Katarina

From the World War 2 museum I went passed a cool monument for the hurrican Katrina which hit New Orleans in 2005. I then continued towards my goal which was the Mardi Gras World. A museum for the Mardi Gras festival and also home of one of the largest float makers. Mari Gras World was a really unique place showing off the Mardi Gras festival. Not just a tour of diffrent floats but you could also see how the floats are made. Aaaaannndd pictures!

Darth Vader 

Some floats

Awsome looking one

King Kong

Star Wars

Star Wars

From here I got myself a ride home casue my feet where super tired after having to walked the whole day pretty much.

The evening I spent having some dinner and just chilling out.

The next day I went to the Museum of Death, a very unique museum about death in general but also a certain focus on serial killers. The museum was kinda creepy but still not as it was just some rooms very brightly lit up showing of the pieces. I enjoyed my visit there even though they had very graphic pictures from some of the murders. I then went down Canal Street checking out some stores and malls. During the evening I went to a market that's only open during nights. The vendors there were selling some very cool artsy pieces.

New Orleans is a very cool and chill town. The French Quarters look a bit worn down but are very cool to walk through and enjoy all the art and music in the streets. Having small bands playing at street corners sets a very special environment. I definently recommend going there!

Charleston

For two days (5-6 Oct 2017) and one night I went down to Charleston. An amazing place that I'm happy I visited again. This time I went alone by bus. A ride there that took more than 5hrs after a detour through Myrtle Beach. The first day as I arrived I ate a really southern meal with fried chicken, macncheese and some fries. A really great but unhealthy meal.

Fried chicken with Mac'n'cheese and fries

From a meal I got myself to the Charleston Museum. A nice little museum about the history around Charleston.

A replica of a civil war submarine

A cannon

A model of the battle for Sullivans Island

A whale skeleton

These are just a few of the things I saw at the Charleston Museum. I think the museum was pretty interesting and is definently worth spending some time on if in Charleston. From the museum I got to my room and just walked around for the rest of the day.
The second day I made my way to the Fort Sumter ferry and took a trip out there. A really cool old fort where the American civil war started.

Right after getting off the ferry

An old shell from the civil war

Fort Sumter

Half flag for the victims of Las Vegas

A fort with some great history like a shell from the civil war. With such a short time I didn't have time to do any other major thing so after walking around for a bit I went home.

The day it got black in the middle of the day

Yes, I'm talking about the eclipse (August 21, 2017). It was a long time ago now but lazy as I am. I finnaly got my thumb out of my behind to write this post. The eclipse went right over us and it was COOOOOOOL. Before the full eclipse you could feel how it got colder and darker. It was just something amazing and describing it doesn't give it the treatment it deserves. If you get the chance to see it I can only say DO IT!

The sun during the middle of the eclipse

For about 3 minutes it went completley dark and it was like night right in the middle of the day.

Yeah not much more I can say about it I think.

Visit from Sweden Part 3

This post starts the 2nd of August in Charleston. We made our way to Patriots Point. A museum about the military. Consisting of one submarine, the USS Clamagore, one destroyer, the USS Laffey and one aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown. It also has a few differnet exhibits, a Vietnam experience exhibit, a bunch of aircrafts and a Medal of Honour museum. Me and my dad wasn't able to go through the Vietnam experinece and the Medal of Honour due to my sister not having anything else to do so she got frustrated at us. Here are some pictures:

The USS Yorktown 

The USS Laffey

The USS Clamagore

From Patriots Point we went into Charleston for some lunch and we then continued walking through the town. The walk got us to the Old Slave Mart Museum. An old alley where they sold slaves. We then contiuned to the Old exchange and Provost Dungeon. Both very interesting historical places. We then took a stop at a nice irish pub called Tommy Condons Restaurant. From there to Tanger Outlets for a little bit of shopping before heading back to Columbia.


The next day we weren't sure what to do so we went to Augusta. Possibly a mistake as it was a kind of boring city, we had an awsome lunch and then we saw the riverside. We also met James Brown, or well it was a statue of him. We also got to a shopping mall and did some more shopping.

Statue of James Brown

After coming back to Columbia we decided to go to the cinema. We went to the movie Detroit, a dark and serious movie about a crazy event in the American history. Showing some clear racial tension. It was very touching and I definently recommend it.

The 4th of August was the last full day with my dad and sister before they left for going up north to DC and NYC. We spent part of it with my host family going down to our community pool and chilling out. We then went to a store my dad wanted to go into quickly, me and my sister waited in a car and we deicided to do a silly prank. We then moved the car and laughed our asses off as dad came out and looked confused as to where the car was parked. That night we went out for our last dinner. 

Last dinner before leaving

The 5th of August I got dropped off and my dad and sister left for the northwest. This was the end of some nice days and I went back to the normal crazy life. This concludes this mini series.

As I post this it's in the middle of hurricane Irma. Although not hitting me and my host family directly there's alot of rain and wind around us. We are fine and probably won't get any major issues.

But for now over and out!

Visit from Sweden Part 2

The 30 of July was a pretty calm day starting out with walking around downtown and finding our way to some Memorials about different conflict ranging from World War 1 until Vietnam.

Vietnam War Memorial

Unkonw Memorial probably something with dogs

Pearl Harbour Memorial

Holocaust Memorial

Also Holocaust Memorial

US WWII Navy Memorial

USS Columbia Memorial

World War I Memorial

Korean War Memorial

The Memorials show a clear difference in the way you see the armed forces between Sweden and the US. Also like the Korean War Memorial as it had the same type of statue as in Washington DC. One that I liked.

Spending the day roaming around and chilling out we ended the day with going to a baseball game.

Chilling out with the mascot

A fun and unique experience which is definently something to see while in the US.

The 31st started out with checking out the South Carolina State House and then went over to my host family. We spent some time chilling at the pool and then had some dinner with the host family. We also handed over some Swedish gifts. A book about the Swedish landscapes, a tray in blue and yellow saying "Fika".

The 1st of August and we get in the car to go down to Charleston. We went straight to the McLeod Plantation. An old plantation where people lived until 1990s. Not as slaves the latter years of course.

McLeod Plantation

The Mansion McLeod Plantation

The Mansion McLeod Plantation

The Mansion McLeod Plantation

The road up to the McLeod House

A great historic site with a dark history showing the racial differneces we can see all the way into our time. Even here on the plantation where both the mansion and the old slave houses had people living here until the 1990s. The people living in the old slave houses were free but very poor.

From the plantation to an awsome lunch at YoBo Cantina Fresca. A place I definently recommend to go if in Charleston!

Nom Nom Nom

YoBo Cantina Fresca

From lunch to some more history this time we went to Fort Moultire. An old fort built during the revolutionary war lasting until after the second world war. And now for some pictures:

A more modern cannon at Fort Moultire

The old command tower during WWII

Looking out through a cannon

An older cannon

How to lift an old cannon which weighs a lot

Another old cannon

And another

Fort Moultire

Some more cannons

Some ammunition

My sister hates this so she found a nice little beach nearby so after having went through the Fort me and my sister took a swim in the ocean. We then went to the hotel and checked in and then went down to the beautiful French Quarters. Especially the beautiful Rainbow Row. Stand by for Part 3 will try to not be as late for that post!
Cya laters alligators!