From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger@hershnet.com>
Date:  Mon Jan 28, 2002  11:28 am
Subject:  UZ Pulls Out the Stops

To please MM, UZ is desperately seeking Super Bowl tickets. She wants to see her beloved Patriots in the Super Bowl. MHN, can you help? Any ideas?

So far, UZ has struck out with the NFL drawing and with a drawing at the local fire house. He has fired off a letter to the Giants begging for tix. MM is checking the hotel listings and making plans.

From:  "jameshershberger2001" <jameshershberger@hershnet.com>
Date:  Tue Jan 29, 2002  5:05 pm
Subject:  Re: UZ Pulls Out the Stops

UZ got excited when he received a call from the Giants this morning.
Sadly, they were just calling to say they have no SB tickets for UZ.
UZ now getting desperate. Will do anything to get 2 SB tickets. Help!

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger@hershnet.com>
Date:  Wed Jan 30, 2002  4:28 pm
Subject:  MM scores Super Bowl Tix!!!!!!

Details and itinerary to follow.

Love,

 UZ

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger@hershnet.com>
Date:  Thu Jan 31, 2002  9:45 am
Subject:  SB Preparations

UZ and MM are preparing to go to the big show in New Orleans. We were lucky to get a hotel within walking distance of downtown N.O. bj will remember that, lat time, we stayed in Biloxi, Miss.

 Today, UZ will be studying N.O. for sightseeing. We already have reservations at the Commander's Palace, reportedly one of the best seafood restaurants in the U.S. Maybe we will just hang around the French Quarter, a wild place indeed.

 We are leaving from LaGuardia early tomorrow morning. Will provide updates if we can find a cyber cafe.

Love,

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger@hershnet.com>
Date:  Thu Jan 31, 2002  9:45 am
Subject:  SB Preparations

UZ and MM are preparing to go to the big show in New Orleans. We were lucky to get a hotel within walking distance of downtown N.O. bj will remember that, lat time, we stayed in Biloxi, Miss.

 Today, UZ will be studying N.O. for sightseeing. We already have reservations at the Commander's Palace, reportedly one of the best seafood restaurants in the U.S. Maybe we will just hang around the French Quarter, a wild place indeed.

We are leaving from LaGuardia early tomorrow morning. Will provide updates if we can find a cyber cafe.

 Love,

UZ

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Thu Jan 31, 2002  9:16 pm
Subject:  Getting ready to go

Greetings,

The tickets and hotel receipt came in today, we are packing our bags, and preparing ourselves mentally for the Big Show. We leave at 6:45 a.m. from LaGuardia.

Our revised itinerary is below (phone numbers corrected):

Itinerary

Go Patriots!

Love, Jim

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Sat Feb 2, 2002  12:32 pm
Subject:  The Big Show via Beaumont TX

Friday, 2/1
We started out behind the gun today. I set the alarm f 5 a.m. rather than the needed 4 a.m. for our 645amflight. Somehow, we got on the road in about 15 minutes and were in the LaGuardia ticket lie at 622am.
We were rushed to the front of the line but still did not make it. A combination of frequent flier miles, electronic tickets, partial payment and over 1,000keystrokes by the attendant. We took a flight at 84oam.
--
We'll be flying o Dallas and then to Beaumont TX.
We will then rent a car for the 4 hour drive to New Orleans. That's how it goes when you decide on
Wednesday to attend the Big Show on Sunday. Mary booked a hotel in the Warehouse District of down town New Orleans. It will be interesting to see what the District is like. We do know it is near the River Walkway and the French Walkway. We got the hotel because someone else's credit card bounced. If just getting there seems like an ordeal, it much better than our trip to SB __ in San Diego which took over 24hours due to plane delays. And, it is much better than SB XXI in LA where Mary was delayed 24 hours do to a snow storm.
Now, we are on the plane from Dallas to Beaumont. A couple of boys form Peabody, Mass., Patriots fans, are
with us.
---
We landed and are now in the rental car. We are now hitting the Beaumont rush hour which is pretty big considering they have only 114,000 residents. (Seems funny to be writing on a pad in this high tech era.)
-
Judging by the roadside as we cross the Louisiana state line, the two biggest industries are gambling and religion. Lots of casinos and many Pentecostal and Baptist churches. Lots of gospel music on the radio. Plenty of country and Cajun music too.
--
The trip to N.O. is 5.5 hours not 4. Our hotel is terrific. A Marriot resident inn. We have two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. The kitchen is about the size of

 hours at home. Tomorrow, we will walk over to the NFL Experience and then to the French Quarter. Writing this from a cyber cafe near our hotel.
Love, Jim

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Mon Feb 4, 2002  8:34 pm
Subject:  Saturday Feb 2

Thanks to me typing in previous message at cyber cafe, Mary and I were late getting to the NFL Experience in the Convention Center. By the time we got there, all tickets were sold. Just as well, we would have bought too much stuff. We met some nice local folks while waiting in line. After that, we walked over to Harrah's Casino which was not opened yet when we were here before with Jerry. We started with 4 quarters on the slot machines and ended up with -0-. Somewhere along the way, we met a Packers fan from Sheboygan. So far, we have been remarkable in our spending restraint I even questioned another fan, asking him how much one item cost as he was buying it. "It's too late to start counting now!" was his response. There is lots of money changing hands here, in the stores and on the streets. I overheard two guys negotiating a ticket sale (I think), with guy saying "I'm negotiable."

Jer, as we discussed last time, N.O. is the best place to attend a SB. You can walk to everything, the French Quarter, the Warehouse District where our hotel is located, the Super Dome, the French Market and the Flea Market.

We have been closely observing fans. The Rams fans, fewer in number than Patriots, seem to be the sedate, sophisticated corporate ceo or accountant type. They are not arrogant, but do appear confident. Although Mary did encounter one Rams fan that said "We can't wait until 8 p.m. (half time) so I can start celebrating."  The Pats fans seem a bit nervous. They are a younger, scrappier bunch. If the game was decided by a fist fight between the fans, the Pats would definitely win the SB.

Everybody, fans and locals, has a cell phone. It is very common to see two companions walking down the street, one ignoring the other talking on a cell phone and the other looking left out. We have also seen two people walking each on their phones. A lot of young black men have cell phones.

We went to the famous Cafe du Monde and had their famous chicory coffee and beignets (French donuts). Good. Really good!

Then, we went to the French Quarter. We had a late lunch at the Acme Oyster Company. The food was not warm enough but the oysters were delicious. The crowds at night are simply unbelievable. It is actually a little scary. I was trying to navigate through the crowd on Bourbon Street. I looked over my shoulder for Mary to see the face of a large police horse. Funny, I did not feel its breath. I got out of the way fast. We watched one scene where people were gathered by a pile of horse droppings waiting for unsuspecting others to walk on the droppings. Then, they would go "OOOOH!

People were lined up on the balconies overlooking bourbon street. Young men on the street were hoping to see some of the women on the balconies disrobe. It did not happen.

Everybody here is trying to make a buck. One lady was selling sequined wands. Young black boys with bottle caps are their shoes were tap dancing. There were lots of street magicians as well as human statues. You know, where the figure looks like a statue until it moves.

Tomorrow, it is off to the Big Show at the Superdome.

Love,

Jim

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Mon Feb 4, 2002  8:46 pm
Subject:  Sunday Feb 3

We started walking from the hotel to the Superdome at 10:30 a.m. The dome is blocked off about 3 blocks ahead. There are Army trucks and National Guard soldiers with M16s. Otherwise, the only uniformed people are the New Orleans police. Just as in 1997, they hang around in clusters of 3 or more. We learned later that there were a lot of plain clothes armed officers./

We arrive about 10:50 a.m.  Getting into the Super Dome, we go through a few tranches, beginning at 12:30 p.m. First, "a light patting of your person". It was light, but it was very thorough. Then, they check your stuff. All of your stuff. Everything in your pockets comes out. Then they check your camera an binoculars. They take your picture to make sure you camera is a real camera. There are a lot of weird costumes. Maybe you saw the Elvis guy on TV. Or maybe the Patriots fan dressed a cow skull.

Next, they run you though a metal detector. Then, and only then, are you deem qualified to enter the stadium concourse.

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Mon Feb 4, 2002  8:56 pm
Subject:  Sun Feb 3 Continued

After sausage and peppers we enter the stadium at 1:45 p.m. for the 5:36 p.m. game. It turns we have good seats on the 21st row in the corner of the field. Right in front of us are the Fox crew, James Brown, Terry Bradshaw et. al. Fans are clustered all round them. They are signing autographs.

Some of the Patriots players in sweat clothes are checking out the field. Then, we see the entire L A Rams team walk the length of the field, right down the center. Hmm. There have just gotten off the bus and are in business suits and are carrying their brief cases. Was this planned or did they just get off the bus at the wrong end.?

We are sitting on the Rams side of the field but there are enough Pats fans to keep us company.

It was a thrill to see Paul McCartney sign during the pre-game show. It was nicely done and not as mawky as usual.

As you saw on the TV, the game was a glorious, exciting contest. I have never seen Mary so excited. I took advantage to the situation and managed to get several kisses!

We got out of the stadium about 10 p.m. We went back to the hotel, grabbed a snack and went to bed. Phew!

Tomorrow, we plan to see some of the City.

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Mon Feb 4, 2002  9:15 pm
Subject:  Monday Feb 4

We started out today by taking a bus tour of the city. We find that it is always a good thing to do, and today was no exception. Our guide was in his 70's, had moved to N.O. as a boy in 1941. He knows everyone and he knows the story behind every building and every street. We stopped by a cemetery where if you don't pay your maintenance, they will move you out. This is true of all the N.O. cemeteries. They also try to encourage decomposition in order to compress remains and make more room.  The graves are above the ground in crypts because N.O. is 5 feet below sea level. In earlier days, when they buried people, you might see your relatives floating by when it rains.  There was lots of other interesting stuff on the tour, especially the old homes - antebellum and other architecture.

After that, we walked around the French Market and Flea Market. Lots of bargains and plenty of non-bargains.

Then, we took a street car to Washington have for a 1:30 pm. lunch at Commander's Palace, one of the most famous restaurants in N.O. We sure liked it. Sumptuous, but friendly. The most attentive wait staff we have ever seen. The waiters, the captain and the dining room manager were constantly hovering around our table. Somehow, they did it without being annoying. That's because they were so friendly. For example, they replaced our water glasses after a  while. I guess the water got stale.  As I took my last sip from my win glass, almost before I put the glass on the table, they were over to ask if I wanted another glass of wine. I did

Mary and I both had the same meal. House salad, Creole filet mignon. I had the bread pudding soufflé for dessert while Mary had chocolate mouse. Expensive, but not overly so. We found out later that their martini's (called the Cosmopolitan and another called the Green Melon) are only 75 cents.

Next, we visited a nearby cemetery and then took the street car back to the hotel.

One thing I would like to say is the people of New Orleans are some of the nicest, most genuinely friendly people I have ever seen. (You do have to watch out for hucksters. There is a standard con here where the con artist tricks you into a question about your shoes and then gets $10 out of you.)

Well that's it. Tomorrow we head for home. This message is being sent from the River Walk, a big shopping mall along the Mississippi about 3 blocks from our hotel.

Love, Jim

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Mon Feb 4, 2002  9:37 pm
Subject:  From Miss Mary

All I will add to Jim's notes is to say that Patriot Nation invaded the Big Easy and Superdome.  The Rams fans were loud, but Patriot fans were deafening.  This has been a perfect, perfect  weekend (with a perfect, perfect man) and a perfect, perfect game, with a perfect, perfect ending!  This victory helps erase Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner and other Red Sox ghosts.  Jim says he is now a Patriot fan - poor guy, he might have black and blue marks on his back I was pounding him so hard during the game!  This is one for the ages!     Mary

PS  Leon and Kathy - I am sure your decision to watch the game from home was key.

From:  James Hershberger <jameshershberger2001@yahoo.com>
Date:  Wed Feb 6, 2002  3:34 pm
Subject:  We are home! Wed Feb 6

Wednesday Feb 6 3:30 p.m.

Phew! We finally made it back to N.Y. We had to stay last night in Dallas because of snow. A long airport saga.

We had a great time. Thanks for your messages. Will provide more details later.

Love, Jim