First Day in the French Quarter

Hi Blog.  Tuesday was our first trip into the Big Easy.  Our campground runs a shuttle into the French Quarter.  We left the campground at 9:00 a.m.  It was pretty cold and windy, but very bright and sunny.  New Orleans is a lot like Philadelphia or any other big city - lots of traffic, murders on the evening news, people getting robbed in churches, pan handlers who go around with dogs in tu-tus.  You know, just your average big city.

Once we got dropped off, we headed to the Visitor's Center.  On the way, we stopped at Jackson Park. Here is the cathedral at the edge of the park.  Check out all the azaleas - it's spring (despite the cold weather)!

We didn't have time for breakfast before catching the shuttle this morning, so we stopped at a little french bistro for a couple of Cajun omelettes.  They put us right in a window seat, so we could watch all the tourists go by.

We spent the rest of the afternoon following a self-guided walking tour around the French Quarter.  We stopped several times to listen to various street performers.  The music varied - jazz, blues and rock and roll.

After a late lunch of chicken andouille gumbo, we strolled along the Mississippi.  Here is the riverboat Natchez.  We are hoping to take a jazz lunch cruise next week.

Along the river bank, we ran into another group of street performers, the Calypso Tumblers.  Some may have seen them on Season 2 of "America's Got Talent."  These guys are amazing dancers and acrobats.

We would have liked to stay longer, but the shuttle was coming back to get us at 5:45.