New Orleans

So I will start with our most recent trip. New Orleans! Wow! I had my ideas of what to expect and they were confirmed. Amazing food, great history and cool accents. Haha. I was truly looking forward to the accents. Mike surprised me with a 3 hours class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. What an experience. The chef treated us to gumbo, jumbalia(sp.?) and pralines. Mmmmm...good. She started with the history of the New Orleans cuisine and was a joy to be around. We had to take a trip down Bourbon St.(of course). Ok my 2 trips. It was wild! We went at night time of course but the next morning I went to a cafe for coffee around 7:00 am and started to stroll. I come to the end of a block and to my left is Bourbon St. So I think, "i'm familiar with it, I know where I am" and continue to walk. All of a sudden in the faint distance I hear, "Boom, Boom Shakalaka, Boom Boom Shakala" and see dancing and partying. Let me refresh your memory. 7:00 am! It was crazy. But that is not what New Orleans is all about.
We walked a ton and visited the Museum of Marti Gras which was really interesting. All of the costumes and history. We were there the week after Marti Gras ended so there were still plenty of beads strewn all over. We took the street car for an hour tour one day and the outskirts are really pretty.
We were able to talk to alot of locals about Katrina. You can see in their eyes and hear in their voices the lasting devastation. The anger and bitterness from what they endured. And are still enduring.
It was a great trip.