NEW ORLEANS

There was a slight hiccup this morning.  Our itinerary and voucher said our tour commenced at 10 so we arrived in time, to find it left at 9.  But they managed to include us in the 11 am tour, so we had time to walk about and had breakfast in a cafe in the French Quarter.  See how happy toast and orange juice makes Robert?

So this is the Mighty Mississippi River.  It is so wide and has two currents.  This long barge had freight and I looked along with a rough calculation of about 12 to 16 semi trailer loads.  It was just powering serenely along.  

The Mississippi is the drinking water for New Orleans, and even though the colour is somewhat "Yarra-ish" it is the 4th best drinking water in the USA, according to our bus driver.

See how high the river is in relation to the swamp vegetation around it?  It is the same at each point we have seen.  

We saw the obligatory alligators on our Swamp and Bayou Tour, but they were small ones.  We were on a small open sided boat that puttered gently along.  You could feel the refreshing breeze and hear the calming lap of water against the hull.  The people above sat on their air boats, WEARING EAR PROTECTION, as their noisy vessels whined and screamed about.  Huh!

Since Hurricane Katrina, flood insurance has skyrocketed and all new builds must be 9 feet off the ground.  We saw some houses that were being raised, an expensive process but a massive saving in insurance premiums once completed. 

Some buildings in Decatur Street, colourful, interesting, different.  We tried Beignets for lunch, a cross between American donut and French pastry, dusted with icing sugar.  Yummy!  

This is me in St. Ann Street, right about where fictional P.I. Clete Purcell, friend of Dave Roubicheux from the James Lee Burke, also has an office, as well as in New Iberia ... "...with a fine view from the balcony of the cathedral of St.  Louis..." 

St. Ann borders Jackson Square.  Three sides of Jackson Square are closed to traffic and have street vendors.  (Just  what sides - North, East, South or West - I don't know as in New Orleans direction is given this way: 

Up the river,

Down the river,

Towards the river,

Towards the lake.)

Lots of palm, tarot and spiritual readers, plus various artists, none of whom I thought were other than very touristy.  The cathedral was not super large, but not in the grand style we have seen in Europe, but lovely with the wooden pews, marble floor and stained glass windows.  

And finally, especially for my Walker Cook family, the touch of Mark Twain requested.  Here I am outside the Huck Finn Bar, complete the a large fibreglass alligator.  All class, I am!!!