New Orleans tour and parade

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Happy birthday Susan!

We had breakfast at the famous Cafe du Monde. It was a sunny but cold day and it was pretty quiet in the French Quarter except for the trucks bringing in the beer for the fresh debaucheries. The tour van picked us up at the hotel and we spent the rest of the morning touring the city. Hurricane damage was everywhere but reconstruction has restored some activities. It wasn't just the floods. There was lots of damage from the wind and the water coming in through damaged roofs. It will be many years before the city is normal and a lot of the population will never return. That being said, the tourist locations are all up and running and everyone is eager to welcome the visitors and conventions that will bring the economic recovery.

We walked to the Riverwalk mall and convention centre for lunch. Lots of nice stores but the crowds are not there yet. Then we took the St. Charles St. tram but it went up Canal St. instead because the other line was blocked by parade preparations. Lots of buildings were still boarded up and there were big signs where a store or bank or doctors' office has re-opened.

We rested up then went out for the nightly parades. There were two big ones to come down Canal St. so we waited there with the gathering throngs. Unforunately, it was only about 6 deg. C and we had to keep moving to keep warm. After about an hour, the parade came and it was very good. Then we went for dinner at a seafood place and got back to our room to warm up.

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Photos

Susan on hotel balcony
Basking in the sun.

Riverwalk
Along the mississippi.

St. Charles steetcar.
One of the streetcars was named "desire". Tennessy Williams stole the name for his play.

La Bayou balcony.
That's where we had dinner the night before.

Parade marching band
Lots of these highschool kids bravely marching in the cold weather.

Voodoo floats.
Lots of scary floats as this was the Druids parade.

Susan at parade.
Susan got a modest collection of "throws".