New Orleans

We did a bus tour of the city and got a good talk about the history and culture from the driver. Even the cometary was interesting. They bury their dead in an above ground tomb, because the soil is basically a swamp.In fact they fit extended families in the tombs. How they do it is interesting but takes too long to tell here.The term wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole came from pushing in the caskets with a ten foot pole, of the people who died here from the yellow plague.They didnt want to touch the casket in case they caught the infection.

Today we took a ride on the Creole Queen a paddle wheeler doing trips on the Mississippi. The flow in the river is high and the level is still rising. We saw lots of very large barges and their push boats who ply the trade in bulk goods and fuel up and down the 2000 mile river.There were two ocean going ships waiting at anchor to load their cargo as well as dry docks and a ferry crossing the river. The flow was such that the ferry crossed at almost 45 degrees to get a 90 degree crossing.

The boys playing tourist at the New Orleans wharf.

We are staying in the french quarter in a boutique hotel. The narrow roads and old buildings give a real sense of an older time here. Plus we enjoy playing tourist and walking to bars and restaurants, not that we would over do the eating and drinking!