>>OUR TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS!!

Curtis and I made it home from our trip to New Orleans...and what a great trip it was! I will always remember my time at the "Big Easy!" New Orleans is a very interesting city. It definitely has....character. We got off to a little bit of a rough start with our cab ride. I was so worried about our flight to New Orleans, but I probably should have been more concerned with our cab ride from the airport to our hotel. First of all, our cab driver took us on the back roads through the worst part of town...rather than just taking the freeway. While he was explaining to us how dangerous the city was and warning us not to do anything that would get a gun pulled on us, he almost gets us in a car accident while changing lanes. He and the other driver exchanged not so nice gestures and words to one another. Our cab driver threatened the other driver that he would "slit his throat with his knife." Yikes!!! It was a scary moment. I really thought the other guy was going to pull out his gun. Not only was that scary, but our cab driver was the worst driver ever! Not to say that old people are bad drivers, but this guy was 67 and was all over the road. Whenever traffic would slow down, he would lay on his horn and go outside of the lanes to try to pass. I could hardly wait to get to our hotel and off the streets. We did eventually get to our hotel in one piece and without any gunshot wounds...thankfully!
We pretty much just stayed in the French Quarter of New Orleans. From what we were told, the streets are just too dangerous to be wandering all around town. We spent lots of time on Bourbon Street and in Jackson Square. Jackson Square was my favorite because it was much more peaceful and calm compared to Bourbon Street. Bourbon Street was usually always full of people...drunk people, and there was loud, obnoxious music blasting from all of the bars. Jackson Square was a big open area with lots of trees, cool old buildings, art work, and entertainers. There were also some nice restaurants and shops. It was right on the Mississippi River, so we were able to go right up by the water and see all the boats. It was a lot of fun.

Check out New Orleans for yourself from these pics. Kudos to Curtis for the great photography!

Jackson Square...

This is Cafe Du Monde. It is New Orleans most famous coffee shop. They make the best beignets! Yum Yum!

These are beignets. The picture didn't turn out too well because it was so dark outside, but they are like scones covered in powdered sugar. They are so yummy! I wish I could eat one right now:)

Street Performers at Jackson Square...

Mississippi River...

Bourbon Street...

One of the nights we were there, a movie was being filmed on Bourbon Street. You can see some of their equipment here. The movie is called "Twelve Rounds." We'll see if it makes it to theaters:)

This is Cafe Beignet. It is right on Bourbon Street. At night, a jazz band plays while you eat. The food wasn't the best, but it was fun to sit and eat and watch the band play. They also make yummy beignets.

This is our hotel room. Look how high the ceilings are. We stayed at the Astor Hotel. It is right on the corner of Bourbon and Canal.

And finally...some advice from New Orleans... I found this postcard at one of the many voodoo shops on Bourbon Street.