New Orleans

We stayed at an Airbnb in a uniquely NOLA home with the elevated first floor, tall ceilings, and a narrow but long layout. We loved it and it was only a 10 min walk from the French Quarter.

We took three walking tours during our stay during which we saw some street bands, the garden district, French Quarter, and the outside of the cemeteries (they have been closed since COVID). We also learned some history of the african americans in the city and the birth of jazz. Limiting our pictures of this beautiful city is challenging because the buildings in the French Quarter are so cute!

We loved the food. Of course we enjoyed beignets (at least four times!). We also tried many other local foods including poboys, gumbo jambalaya, cajun corn, and crawfish pasta. Our favorite restaurant was The Court of the Two Sisters which had not only an excellent buffet, but also a beautiful outdoor patio in which to eat.

One afternoon we spent walking around the Sculpture Garden at City Park. We thoroughly enjoyed both the art and the grounds. Can you see Jerusha in front of the majestic Live Oak Tree?

To our delight, we were in NOLA on Epiphany which is the start of their carnival season so we actually got to see a parade! This was especially nice because the carnival season has been canceled for the last two years. This was the Joan of Arc Parade that always starts the season. Joan was known as the “Maid of Orleans,” so they feel a strong connection with her.

On our last day we visited the Presbytère Museum of Louisiana. They had an excellent exhibit on Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and another exhibit on the history and costumes of the Mardi Gras Carnivals.

We definitely hope to visit this amazing city again. After leaving NOLA we drove back to Alabama to pick up our RV. We passed through many miles of bayou, often feeling like we were driving through the middle of a river. On the way we stopped in Biloxi Mississippi and Mobile Alabama. In Biloxi we enjoyed bird watching and walking around the Davis Bayou area of the Gulf Island National Seashore. In Mobile we stopped at their Mardi Gras Park. Mobile apparently had the first Mardi Gras parade in the country in 1703.

Now that we have our wonderful RV again it’s onto Texas!