Wow, there is a lot to be said about an urban school! I loved Tulane. After sadly saying goodbye to my adorable hotel, Rocinante and I headed across the beautiful New Orleans to Tulane. I had been here a couple of times for work in the 90’s and I love the energy, the vibe, the Southern sophistication of the city.

In Tulane I had a coffee with Sophie who is getting her PhD in cultural studies in Central America – really cool stuff. She gave me the low down, the scoop, the inside story. Gracias Sophie. Then I went for a walkabout around campus and to the department. In his office, getting sorted out after his summer was none other than Prof. Henry Sullivan, the eminent Cervantista and Qijotista who would likely direct my thesis if I ever got accepted at TU. Needless to say I was honored to chat with him for five minutes.

After that it was time to check out the campus. I loved the small school feeling, the urban setting, just great vibes.

From there it was seven hours riding in blistering heat to Houston. Had an authentic lunch at a roadside diner in Baton Rouge, and frequent stops to soak my T-shirt and put it back on to cool down for a few miles.

Finally I arrived at Ilya and David’s home in Houston. Ilya is my Godmother’s daughter and she is just (or more) like a cousin. They have a great kid Flinn and two great dogs Pulgas and Wasabi. We had a few beers and a great chat.