Las Vegas - Saints and Sin City

New Orleans to Las Vegas

This morning's breakfast was equally delicious - the breakfast couscous to start (I took a copy of the recipe and I will definitely be making this). To follow was a breakfast burrito that I can't remember the name of - it was something unusual. Anyway, it was basically a burrito stuffed with rice, beans and egg and topped with a Creole sauce. It was yummy. My camera ran out of battery so there is no photo!

I had time this morning to go to church - something I had been wanting to do on the trip - a gospel church. Chuck had shown me where there was one close by. Headed off, round the corner and had no trouble finding it...

Down and in we go. There's a couple of ladies greeting people and handing out services and fans - just like in the movies, those fans. I note mine is sponsored by the Rhode Family Funeral Service. i suppose this is a prime audience. There is a choir and a small band combo - piano (grand), drums, saxophone and a couple of tambourines - up behind the altar. The congregation is mainly African American but there are plenty of others too. The service begins with the choir singing. Just behind me, the altar girl is waiting to come down the aisle with the priest and she starts singing - that is beautiful!

It's a catholic service so I don't know all the formalities but you just stand when they do and sit when they do. Finally found where we were up to in the service book and could sort of follow along. A well-dressed African American lady sits in front if me and her perfume is giving me a headache but what can you do...

There's lots of singing. Good sermon on gratitude - he manages to work leprosy and AIDS in there. As he said something like, "and the Lord said loudly..." someone's mobile went off. 

Then the offering. Then all the people across the aisles hold hands for the Lord's Prayer. I'm pretty much standing in the aisle for this so we can all hold hands. And I don't sing but I do mouth the words.

Then there's the handshaking with everyone while the choir sings with gusto. It's great. 

There are numerous 'amens' and 'you know its' and so on during the sermon. There's people with tambourines and singing with their arms in the air during the songs. It's very lively and full of music and colour.

Unfortunately I had to leave at 11:15 as I had a taxi booked for 11:30. So came back, made sure everything was ready and here is the taxi. Great driver, we had a lovely chat. He was seven children and heaps of grandchildren and lots of views on the shutdown and food stamps.

To the airport, check in, onto the plane and I've got a window seat again!!! Stupid Expedia - why don't they give you aisle seats - particularly when I booked them way on advance. Maybe people actually want them? 

This is an unusual thing to boast of, I thought...

The flight is okay. The guy in the middle of the three seats was happy to sit by the window. Woman on the aisle wanted to stay there. Didn't notice the plane was landing, the pilot was good - thought it was just a bit of turbulence.

When we did land, they asked for people staying in Houston to stay seated while those with transfers got off first. Lady next to me threw open her seatbelt so that it hit me, shouting "I've got a transfer" and walking up the aisle. She got two seats in front and then had to wait. Ha!

Here's Houston, glad I'm not staying here.

I went to the customer service desk to try and change the next window seat to an aisle seat but they didn't have any. I could get one in the next level up, for $51. No, thanks. And then I wait for a couple of hours.

Onto the next plane and there are two guys on their way to a conference. Middle guy is happy to take the window seat. Trouble is the guy on the aisle is almost a contender for needing two seats, so we're all a bit cosy. They're both very nice though. Flight goes quickly enough - over the desert and then came the lights of Vegas, which I could sort of see...

Huge airport...

I go through to baggage claims and there's Leigh-Anne and Nikita. How good is it to see her??? Can't remember the last time we were together. We drive back to their house in the 'burbs and settle in for a catch-up.

And I can now claim Houston as a state I've been to...

And I gained back another two hours.