Nashville: Grits and Waffles

While passing through Nashville, I stopped for a quick breakfast at the legendary Waffle House, which may in fact be the 8th Wonder of the World. 

Things I love about Waffle House:

• Waffles (well, duh)
• Strong Coffee
• Fast Service
• Convenience
• That nostalgic retro feeling
• Price! 

Things I don't love about Waffle House:

• No turkey bacon
• No non-pork sausage
• No substitutes allowed for pork. Not even toast or hash browns.
• They want to get you in and out of there ASAP. There's no schmoozing over another cup of coffee without the waitress "mean muggin'" you the whole time.

America loves going out to breakfast, and as an avid lover of breakfast food I have to say this is one of my favorite things about this country.  The South does breakfast like no other - I have been hard pressed to find a good bowl of grits anywhere else. I don't know if I am weird for liking a spoonful of maple syrup in my grits, but this is America so I am free to do so (yet another reason why I love this country).

I put a Quran on the magazine rack outside and watched an employee on their way in to work stop to read it then put it back for another person to find.  Let's hope someone else enjoys their delicious waffles with a small side of Quran.

Salam for now.

Alabama: Mimosa Trees & the Open Road

I left two Qurans at a cozy rest stop just inside the Alabama State lines.  There was a lovely picnic area surrounded by white flowering trees. It was a happy, cozy, little place and it made me smile.

The drive through Alabama was long, but it was also the prettiest stretch of road thus far.

The highway was decorated with flowering trees, I believe most were Mimosas, and this made the drive a lot more pleasant.  

These trees are reminiscent of my childhood.  When I was in 4th grade I went to Alabama to spent the summer with my grandmother and great grandmother.  I raved about the trees then, and I am still in love with them today.  My great grandmother would stop along the side of the dirt road near their humble home and let me get out to pick the flowers and take photos of these gorgeous trees with their pink little flowers.  

There's a special kind of beauty about Alabama and you can feel it in the air. Even the sun shines brighter in the "Heart of Dixie". 

 Salam for now.

 

Mississippi: Huddle House & the Highway

Although I didn't stay long in the Big Sip, I managed to stop for lunch and found this little treat.  There must've been 15 signs for Huddle House along the way so I gave in and made a pit stop to exchange a bite to eat for a Travelling Quran.

To my surprise, Huddle House has merged two of my most favorite things from Texas and turned them into a magically delicious treat.  Texas toast meets chicken fried chicken - as a sandwich.  There is the perfect trifecta!

The people were kind and easy going.  They thought I was a bit weird for asking for gravy on the sandwich, but in Texas you cannot have chicken friend chicken without ooey gooey gravy on top. It is blasphemy in the highest degree.

I also found this little gem, which doesn't seem special, but there were a handful of drink selections that I have never heard of before or after Mississippi. I am hard pressed to find a decent cherry juice drink, and this one was acceptable.  I haven't had one this good since my last holiday oversees.

Finally, after much eating and merriment, I left this copy for the next passer by.  I hope someone picks it up way out there, otherwise it serves as an excellent paperweight for this stack of tourism magazines.  

Salam for now! 

Crescent City: Voodoo, Gumbo & All That Jazz

New Orleans was a trip! I left two copies of the Travelling Quran throughout the city during my stay.  I was only able to visit for two days, but it was long enough to get a taste of the French Quarter.  All I can say is I will definitely go back for more.  

Everyone always told me that New Orleans wouldn't be much fun for a Muslim since we don't drink, but I am happy to say that is false. Practicing Muslims can (and should!) enjoy New Orleans as much as everyone else. 



Here's why -

The Ambiance. The architecture is simply amazing. There's a lot of soul in those streets and you feel it as you stroll through the French Quarter. Street performers play music or sit in awkward statue poses, horses carry smiling faces to Cafe Du Monde for a sweet treat, and painters proudly display their works while they fine tune a new masterpiece before your eyes. Your lungs will be bursting with radiant energy as you breathe in the sunny air and absorb the smells, sights, and sounds of this old and vibrant city.

The Food.  O Lawd have mercy - I wish I were a cow so I could pack all of it into two stomachs.

I went to Arnaud's Restaurant for a classy dinner and some live Jazz. The service is perfect, the food is divine, and the musicians look (and sound!) like they stepped out of an old timey black and white movie.  

I ordered Alligator sausage with much gusto - finally a cajun sausage that I am allowed to eat! It was served with a dollop of dijon mustard but I found that it detracted from the taste of the meat.  Alligator is surprisingly delicious and doesn't have a reptile taste, as expected.  This is a must for every food connoisseur. 

Next was seafood gumbo - how could I leave Louisiana without tasting REAL gumbo? It was awesome.  Every other gumbo I've ever had was a lie. I must learn to master this.

After I was stuffed to my gills (or so I thought), I went for a walk and stumbled upon a seafood joint open at 11pm.  I went inside and found what I had been waiting for: Crawfish. 

Boiled buttery cajun goodness.  

These little buggers didn't last long. 

I went to the infamous Cafe Du Monde for breakfast the next day.  It was good, however, it was overrated.  Dont order the iced coffees - they are all ice splashed with a thimble of coffee. The beignets are good, but after standing in line for 30 minutes sweating under burning sun I got turned away because they don't accept debit/credit cards.  It's absurd - take cash (or gold doubloons). 

The People

Sure, there are plenty of strange people, and if you're into people watching then you're in for a real treat here, especially if you're sober like me. The key to successful and dignified (is there such a thing?) people watching in New Orleans is knowing when to go home. There's a fine line between strange party behavior and lewd, dirty, naked, drunken behavior. That line is crossed instantaneously without much warning.  Things go from funny and crazy to shocking and crazy pretty fast.  Luckily I was getting into a cab to head back to my hotel when that happened. So Cinderella, you better leave the ball by the stroke of midnight or the whole city will turn into a drunken pumpkin. 

I advise more conservative folks and people with children to enjoy the daytime scene, there's plenty to do 24/7.

The Fashion (or lack thereof)

We've already established that New Orleans has some crazy people. That being said, it also makes New Orleans an extremely tolerant city.  I mean, nothing you do could cause them to bat an eyelash.  There are no fashion police (although sometimes I thought there should be, because DANG, leotards can only stretch so much). You can wear whatever you want - we all have that one outfit (or five) that we are dying to wear but arent quite sure if it makes us look like a hobo. Guess what? In New Orleans it doesn't matter! I chose a vintage piece that I picked up in Texas at a Mexican flea market for $6.  I probably looked crazy, but I felt awesome and that is the essence of New Orleans.

The Music
There could be an entire blog dedicated to the  Music of Nawlins.  It is everywhere. A random guy on the street plays guitar while a fiddler duels against him across the intersection.  Bars have live bands of all flavors; 80s, Bluegrass, Rock, Indie, Folk, Country, and, of course  Jazz. If you take a walk after dinner you will see the doorways wide open to give you a taste of the musical magic going on inside. Saxophones, trumpets, banjos, drums, washboards - you name it, it's there.  Most places don't even have a cover.  If you feel inspired, there are also a handful of karaoke bars, which brings me back to the ripe people-watching opportunities discussed earlier.  It's worth popping your head in to see.  

The Heart

The people of New Orleans have suffered so many losses and hardships over the years, but they are still smiling.  These are some of the nicest folks I have ever met, for real, and they are the epitome of perseverance. I was amazed to see street artists painting on broken doors, shutters, and other remnants of homes before the devastation of hurricane Katrina. They turned sorrow into meaningful artwork and sold it in the streets as a way to share their story and the spirit of New Orleans.  God bless them.

There's so much to do in "Nawlins" that everyone can find something to tickle their fancy.  Whether it's art, music, food, architecture, history, nature, or nightlife, you are guaranteed to find it in The Big Easy.

I liked it so much that I decided to leave a piece of me behind in the park with this handsome statue and some live jazz.

I left a second copy in my hotel next to it's brother, the Holy Bible.  
Let's see what kind of character decides to pick up a Traveling Quran in New Orleans!

Salam for now (SFN).

Here We Go!

Asalaam alaikum (peace be upon you) and welcome to the All-American Traveling Quran's travel journal.

I am an English translation of the Holy Quran and I have been traveling across America to experience the diverse and vibrant culture it has to offer.

I began my journey in Texas with my first travel companions (a young blonde American woman and a charming Canadian fellow) and have since had some amazing experiences in this vast and beautiful country.

I hope I get a chance to meet the many faces of American culture and find common ground so that we may know and appreciate one another, because of our differences not in spite of them. We can put minor differences aside and work together for the greater good. That is a core American value that I hold very close to my heart.

I set out on this journey with the sole intention of creating a path to peace and understanding through interfaith dialog. If we open up and get to know one another we can cultivate a new relationship founded on mutual respect. This is in no way a conversion mission. I truly believe the path of righteousness is a peaceful, friendly, compassionate one, regardless of what your religion or life philosophy is.

I hope to meet you, but if not please come visit my blog to see where I've been. I'm excited for the new food to try, art to see, parks to visit, history to learn, music to hear, and new friends to enjoy them with.

Here we go! Salam for now! (SFN)

If you would like to host a Quran in your home town, please email me at travelingquran@gmail.com. 
I would love to include a blog post about your little slice of America and our dialog together.