When I was in Jr. High my dad and I took a trip to New Orleans. A friend of his was getting married. We stayed in a classic New Orleans balconied apartment for our visit on St. Charles. I don’t remember much from that trip except that the trolley ran by our building, there were very large plants, and the air was sultry and smoky.

I’d been there a few times since and was never crazy about the place. So much of the Quarter (and other areas) smells like pee. I’ve never had a desire to go to Mardi Gras, mostly because of the close proximity of thousands of drunken tourists. Last time I was there was for my cousin (who-is-like-a-sister)’s wedding. It was fun, and other than a boat swamp tour complete with a little ‘gator onboard, it could have been anywhere. It was fun being a tourist in The Big Easy last week, and for the first time I saw what my cousin sees in the place.

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One of my favorite quotes hangs on the wall of this famous old house, now hotel (of course, I don’t remember the name of the hotel)

“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt

I’m a terrible tourist and an even worse tour-guide.
This is a famous building. I forget what it’s name is though.
I took the photo because I thought it was a neat looking building, it wasn’t until my cousin told me the next day when we walked past it together that I found out it was famous. Ha!

Monument to the Immigrant

Beautiful Library!

And a few shots from my thoroughly fun AirBoat Swamp tour!

Our Captain!