New Orleans
Mardi Gras, Blues and Jazz Festivals! What else can you say about New Orleans. It is a survivor of Hurricane Katrina and a city still on the mend from the devastation caused by it. When we visited New Orleans there were several places that had reopened for business but there were several neighborhood areas that were still waiting. Coming into the city via the Pontchartrain Expressway we were able to see homes filled with water, boats capsized and debris everywhere. The greatest blessing to the city was that they were prepared for Hurricane Gustav in 2008 with levee upgrades and evacuation plans in place. New Orleans is on its way back to the joie de vivre (joy of living) that we celebrate in everyday life.
Great gumbo, Cajun & creole dishes, seafood, jazz music and festivals is what New Orleans is known for. Some of the artists that lived there before the hurricane are beginning to come back for performances. Some are unable to move back for reasons that are only known to them, however, they do appear for various shows from time to time. Walking down Bourbon Street in the French Quarter is a treat within itself with its cobblestone streets. It seems to be a bar or two on every block with restaurants, souvenir shops, hotels, etc. filling in the rest of the area. You definitely need more than a day to visit the entire area.
Our favorite place to stay is Harrah′s. There we met a very nice lady by the name of "Betsy" who is a true Saints fan. It′s in walking distance to Canal Street and the French Quarter and only steps away from the Riverwalk where we boarded the Norwegian Sun for our 7 day Jazz Cruise. The Riverwalk Marketplace is filled with unique shops, pushcarts and catering.
One day we ventured next door to the Lowe′s Hotel, yes the same name as Lowe's hardware stores, for brunch not sure if it′s a part of the chain or not. My most interesting time was when we got up at five thirty in the morning to make sure we wouldn't miss the sunrise and walked over to the Hilton New Orleans Riverside on the Riverwalk. It was truly a beautiful site. It was also cold but that didn't matter We plan to visit New Orleans again in the near future when we go back to Biloxi.
More About New Orleans. . .
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