The Trekking Pawns' Diary

As part of our pre-trip journey into the rich and colorful history of New Orleans, we’ve been reading The Seamstress of New Orleans . The novel has been a fascinating guide, weaving together the city’s iconic culture with its complex history. One place that keeps popping up in the book is Storyville, a district infamous for legal prostitution and gambling. Intrigued, we had to find out if this place truly existed—and wow, what a story we uncovered! (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  (Photo: Amazon ) The History of Storyville Yes, Storyville was very real. From 1897 to 1917, this legalized red-light district was the beating heart of New Orleans’ nightlife. It was named after Alderman Sidney Story, who ironically didn’t intend for his name to become synonymous with debauchery. The district was bordered by Iberville, Basin, St. Louis, and No...

 As part of preparing for our upcoming trip to New Orleans, we decided to immerse ourselves in the city’s unique history and atmosphere by diving into The Seamstress of New Orleans . The novel, with its vivid depiction of life in early 20th-century New Orleans, has already proven to be a captivating read. But one particular detail in the book stopped us in our tracks—the mention of an extortion group called the "Black Hand." Were they a real group? And if so, how much of their presence shaped the fabric of New Orleans during that time? Library of Congress Being curious travelers (and now amateur historians), we started digging into the history of the Black Hand. What we uncovered not only confirmed the accuracy of the book but also deepened our understanding of New Orleans as a city shaped by resilience, struggle, and cultural fusion. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find t...

Our upcoming cruise adventure has us dreaming about all the incredible activities we can pack into our day at Roatan, Honduras. One thing we know for sure: we want to zipline through the lush jungle canopies of this gorgeous island. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  From our past cruise experience, we’ve learned that as soon as you step off the ship, you’re met with a flurry of vendors eager to book you on an excursion. While these offers can be tempting, we like to do our homework in advance to ensure we’re making the most of our precious time in port. Photo: GoogleMaps Our Plan for Roatan After our glass-bottom boat tour , which we booked through GetYourGuide , we’re hoping to squeeze in a ziplining adventure before heading back to the ship. Luckily, we found two incredible options that are both close to the cruise terminal and promise...

As we prepare for our upcoming cruise, one of the most anticipated stops on our itinerary is Cozumel, Mexico. While there are countless ways to spend a day in this vibrant port, we decided to take a step back in time and visit the world-famous Tulum Mayan Ruins. After doing some research and weighing our options, we ultimately booked the excursion through the cruise line, and here’s why. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  ( Photo: Getyourguide  Things to do in Tulum ) The Excursion: Tulum Mayan Ruins The cruise line excursion to the Tulum Mayan Ruins is advertised as a seamless way to experience one of the most iconic archaeological sites in the world. The tour includes: A 45-minute ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen. A 1-hour air-conditioned bus ride to the ruins. A guided tour of the walled city, showcasing restored temp...

Hello, fellow wanderers! The Trekking Pawns here, and we’re officially in the countdown to our next cruise adventure. As we get closer to setting sail, we’re diving into planning how to best use our time at each port. After our first cruise experience in Alaska, we learned a few valuable lessons that are guiding our approach this time around. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  On that Alaskan cruise, we discovered that port days could be a mixed bag. Some stops were magical, but others left us wandering aimlessly, feeling like we didn’t make the most of our limited time. That’s why, for this trip, we’re determined to go in with a solid plan—especially since the places we’ll be visiting are entirely new to us, and let’s be honest, we’re not likely to revisit them individually anytime soon. The Dilemma: Cruise-Booked Excursions vs. DIY Opti...

Louisiana cooking is legendary—a delicious melting pot of cultures and culinary influences that has made the Pelican State a global gathering place for fine dining and enchanting flavors. Few states can claim even one instantly recognizable regional cuisine, let alone two. That’s what makes Louisiana such an incredible place to eat: both Creole and Cajun food are world-renowned. And that’s not all—this southern gem is also home to outstanding Italian cuisine, Jewish delis, and soulful Southern comfort food. (Photo from  Amazon ) (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) For those of us not lucky enough to live at the lower end of the Mississippi River , it can be hard to tell the difference between Creole and Cajun cuisine. There’s definitely some overlap—gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish pie, for example, are staples in both (and are even immortali...

We love to eat—and trying new foods is one of our favorite parts of traveling! So, when we stumbled upon the book 50 States, 1,000 Eats by National Geographic , we knew it was the perfect companion for our adventures. This beautifully illustrated guide features 1,000 must-try dishes and drinks across all 50 states and Canada, complete with travel tips and mouthwatering images. From diner breakfasts and food trucks to fine dining and U-pick farms, it’s a foodie road trip dream! (Photo from Amazon ) (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) Naturally, since we’re heading to New Orleans , we flipped straight to Louisiana to see what made the cut. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot to explore, so we’ve got some research to do over the next few days. But let’s start with the big picture: Founded in 1812, Louisiana is home to 4.59 million people and a rich c...

Whenever we’re planning a trip, we love diving into a book that takes place in the destination we’re about to explore. It’s our way of setting the mood and getting a feel for the place before we even step foot there. For New Orleans, the challenge wasn’t finding a book—it was choosing one! So many of the stories set here are steeped in voodoo, murder mysteries, and the wild celebrations of Mardi Gras. It seems like New Orleans has a bit of a spooky side, doesn’t it? (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) (Available on Kindle, Audio, and Paperback via Amazon ) After a bit of searching, we found a book that perfectly captured the vibrant, mysterious energy of the city while also offering a fresh perspective: The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C. McPhail. Published in 2022, this historical fiction gem is set against the jasmine-scented backdrop ...

  While planning our upcoming trip to New Orleans , there’s one thing we’ve already decided on: we’re going all in on beignets . The very moment we started talking to people about our trip, three separate conversations began with, “You HAVE to try the beignets.” Without even asking for recommendations, this fried, powdered-sugar-dusted treat was at the top of everyone’s must-try list. (Image: AI generated. Real pictures to come when we go!) (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) We’ll admit, we’ve never had a beignet before. We’ve had donuts—plenty of donuts—but from what we’ve heard, beignets are something else entirely. Curious, we dug into their history via the Food Network (recipies can also be found here ). Beignets, as we learned, are square, puffy pastries made with a less-sweet dough and fried to golden perfection before being bu...

(image: AI Generated) Happy New Year, fellow wanderers! 🥳 We hope your holiday season was filled with love, joy, and plenty of good food (we know ours was!). As the clock struck midnight and we welcomed 2025, we couldn’t help but reflect on the amazing year we had in 2024. From weekend getaways to longer trips, it was truly a year to remember. And now, we’re excited to share our plans for 2025 – starting with a trip to New Orleans and a week-long cruise around the Gulf of Mexico ! (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) But before we dive into all the exciting details, we’d like to pause and acknowledge some sad news we came across as we prepared for this adventure. The New Year’s Parade tragedy in New Orleans weighed heavily on our hearts. It’s a reminder that safety should always come first, whether you're at home or on the road. Naturally,...