Day 9 - NOLA

Armed with deodorant and our new fashion accessory, the umbrella, we set out to explore New Orleans.  We are staying in a hotel recommended by a friend, The Columns, which is very nice and on the St. Charles streetcar line.  So we collected our quarters (fare is $1.25 exact change only) and headed to the happening part of town.  Of course we were there well before anything was happening so we took in the riverfront park where there is some nice art and wandered around the French Quarter which had not quite awakened and taken its aspirin or drink yet.  We then went and hid from the predicted thunderstorm in the amazing World War II museum.  Whoever curated this place is a genius.  The exhibits were amazing, well laid out and very informative even to a history buff like Larry.

Michelle would definitely have been the model for the poster if she was around then 

A gate to a nice house in the French Quarter. 

We then wandered back to the French Quarter looking for food and music.  There was both in abundance so we ate dinner and then just wandered around loitering in doorways and watching street acts.  The bands in the bars were not that impressive so we stayed on the street where there were some great acts.  In addition to the acts there were the crazy folks on the street to keep us occupied.  It is a great city to be homeless as the weather never gets cold enough to kill you although the heat could and there is music to dance to when you can stand.  The homeless folks are not only more numerous but in much worse condition than any other city we have been to in our lives.

Like Las Vegas, which is Larry's least favorite city, New Orleans also has all the ugly vices of modern America on display, sex, gambling and drinking..  There are plenty of signs around giving a hotline number for gambling problems but drinking seems to be the city's number one issue.  Unlike Vegas though New Orleans replaces the glitzy monumental building with more interesting architecture, lots of good art and the music would redeem the place all by itself.  This makes it a wonderful place to be despite all the weirdness and poor behavior on exhibit.

Even the horses wear silly costumes.  Pegasus or unicorn?  Take your pick.

Some people on the street should be wearing a bra

And some people shouldn't be.  This homeless guy had bra on under his tee shirt.

Isn't selling real estate hard enough without having to reveal whether the place is haunted or not.  However we discovered that the other side said NOT HAUNTED so I guess you approach from the west for those afraid of ghosts and from the east with the clients that want some spectral company.

Regular Features

Statistics Corner

States involved: We stayed in Louisiana all day today

Final mileage for the day TBA

Charging Hobson had the day off

Song of the Day:  When the Saints Come Marching In by any New Orleans Jazz Band.  What other song typifies New Orleans.  I half expected the street musician playing the bagpipes to break out into it.

Coolest Car of the Day:  New Orleans Streetcars  I am stretching it a bit but these are noisy, uncomfortable and antique.



Best thing of the day - Larry
The Beyond the Boundaries film at the WWII museum was incredibly well done.

Best thing of the day - Michelle
The hustle and bustle, street music, plants and architecture of Bourbon Street.