Greetings from New Orleans!

Hi All

   We arrived in New Orleans and headed directly to the French Quarter. In spite of the

teaming rain, we found the famous restaurant / pub Pat O'Briens on Bourbon Street.

   We had a cajun meal and enjoyed their famous “Hurricane” rum drinks. Even got a souvenir

glass. The next two days we spent sightseeing including the Mardi Gras float museum. They make

over 600 floats every year for the Mardi Gras parades. A city tour also took us to areas still

devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

   Upon preparing to leave New Orleans, disaster struck – almost. I took the car in for an

oil change – no big deal. We had reached our first 5000km / 3000mile marker. I took it in

to the recommended spot. Waited there and the car was ready in an hour. Drove back to the

campsite, picked up the trailer and departed. First stop was for gas which by coincidence was

right across from the oil change place. When I came out from paying for the gas, there was

over a quart of oil on the road under the car! Turns out they installed the wrong oil filter!

That got changed in a hurry!

Now to the pictures:

We'll start off in Jackson Square. One of the main squares in New Orleans. In the Number

two position is Santa's Reindeer. Some of the decorations around town from Christmas. Notice

the colours of purple, gold and green. The colours of Mardi Gras which is coming this year

in early March.

   Pictures 3 & 4 show Wendy on a float for a past Mardi Gras and some other floats at the

Mardi Gras Museum. They build over 600 floats EACH YEAR for a total of 52 parades.

   Pictures 5 & 6 show street performers plying their trade on one of many streets.

Picture 7 is one of the famous above ground cemetaries. Built this way because the

ground is below sea level.

   Picture 8 shows a tug pushing barges on the Mississippi River. New Orleans is the

second busiest port after New York in terms of volume of traffic.

Pictures 9 to 11 are all about the Hurricane Katrina. Katrina did not hit New Orleans,

but weakened the Levees (or dams). Picture 9 shows where the main break happened in the

9^th Ward of New Orleans. In the picture there are two levees. One on the left and one on the right. The left one shows a large section with fresh cement. That was where the main break happened.

   Picture 10 shows a typical bungalow in New Orleans. However the yellow line

two thirds of the way up the brick was the hi-water mark. This picture was taken

three blocks from the previous picture. If anyone was in this house when the break

happened they had 4 (FOUR) minutes to get out or to climb on the roof !

   Picture 11 shows some vacant lots. All of these lots previously had houses on

them. The house on the left with the solar panels is a “Brad Pitt” house. He raised

money to build houses for the city.

  Take care and we'll talk to you soon.