Things I learned in Nola
Last week I went to New Orleans for a medical conference. I learned some things so I thought I would share! Hold on to your hats.
1. New Orleans is kindly called "Nola" by the locals.
I found this confusing at first, thinking it was a direction-related abbreviation, like Nolita in New York, or Soho. "How can New Orleans be north of Louisiana?" I asked my hubby. After his blank stare, I was like, "OHHHH."
2. There are slow cookers in plain sight within the cemeteries.
It's true. The above-ground tombs of the famous Nola cemeteries exist because corpses can't be buried due to the high water table. Instead, they're kept above ground in stone tombs/mausoleums after death. Inside, a body in a wooden casket will disintegrate in only a few months to a year. In the summer, the tombs get so hot inside that they basically bake the corpses and vastly speed up decomposition. Our tour guide told us (in a rather perky fashion) that "The New Orleans dead don't go to Hell. They get slow cookered!"
3. Fecal transplants can be funny.
Seriously. This one gastroenterologist gave a talk and an auditorium full of hundreds of internists were nearly peeing in their seats.
(Do you really want to know what a fecal transplant is? No, you don't. You really, REALLY don't.
Trust me on this. However. If I get an overwhelming response in the comments about it, then I'll do a Medical Mondays on it and gross you all out to the fullest extent of my abilities.)
On that pleasant, scatological note, I'll leave you with a few choice photos from my trip.
Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans
House in Garden District with jasmine vines. I'm so proud of this one. That jasmine is Pinterest-worthy!
Sandra Bullock's house in the Garden District (and my big fat thumb in the lower right. No, not a New Orleans ghost!)
Cafe du Monde perfection: cafe au laits with beignetsAlso, don't forget to stop by Deb Salisbury's blog where she discusses this month's question: Outside of your writing friends, do your family and friends know you blog? Check out previous answers by Laura Diamond and myself!
Happy Wednesday, everyone!
1. New Orleans is kindly called "Nola" by the locals.
I found this confusing at first, thinking it was a direction-related abbreviation, like Nolita in New York, or Soho. "How can New Orleans be north of Louisiana?" I asked my hubby. After his blank stare, I was like, "OHHHH."
2. There are slow cookers in plain sight within the cemeteries.
It's true. The above-ground tombs of the famous Nola cemeteries exist because corpses can't be buried due to the high water table. Instead, they're kept above ground in stone tombs/mausoleums after death. Inside, a body in a wooden casket will disintegrate in only a few months to a year. In the summer, the tombs get so hot inside that they basically bake the corpses and vastly speed up decomposition. Our tour guide told us (in a rather perky fashion) that "The New Orleans dead don't go to Hell. They get slow cookered!"
3. Fecal transplants can be funny.
Seriously. This one gastroenterologist gave a talk and an auditorium full of hundreds of internists were nearly peeing in their seats.
(Do you really want to know what a fecal transplant is? No, you don't. You really, REALLY don't.
Trust me on this. However. If I get an overwhelming response in the comments about it, then I'll do a Medical Mondays on it and gross you all out to the fullest extent of my abilities.)
On that pleasant, scatological note, I'll leave you with a few choice photos from my trip.




Happy Wednesday, everyone!
Published on April 25, 2012 01:30
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