Travels with haRVy

Who would have thought that we would enjoy one of our most spacious and quiet camping spots in the middle of the hustle and bustle that surrounds New Orleans, LA? Due to some excellent advice from fellow travelers Keith and Cheryl, that’s exactly what we found at Bayou Segnette State Park. From here the 10-minute ferry across the Mississippi to the base of Canal Street  in NOLA is just a ten mile drive away.

Lots more activity going on across that mighty river, that’s for sure. We spent nearly an entire day walking for miles around the French Quarter.

Many talented musicians perform on the streets for tips. We enjoyed and helped support a few.

View Al’s video here.

Not sure exactly what was going on in these next two photos, but there were characters a-plenty all around the area.

And then there was this contented looking fellow having lunch in a sidewalk cafe near the French Market.

Only in New Orleans – alcoholic drinks to go from sidewalk stands, just $15 each!

After a well-deserved night’s sleep, we returned to The Big Easy to visit the much more subdued Garden District. This time we took advantage of the trolley system to get around. The St. Charles line, which we rode, was named a National Historic Place. To retain this designation they must keep their historic trolleys meticulously maintained. They are beautiful as well as a fun, albeit noisy, way to get around.

Here’s a quick look at some of the beautiful homes in this area.

Once the folks who live in these palaces expire, many are buried above ground in the nearby Lafayette Cemetery, which was originally laid out in 1833. The house like tombs serve the same family for generations. I’m not sure how and not sure I want to know all the details either. The walking tour maps calls the cemetery “well-kept,” but many of the tombs and headstones could use some serious restoration.

Gotta have Mardi-Gras beads, even in the great beyond. They are everywhere in NOLA!

We barely scratched the surface of what this great city has to offer visitors, but at least we got a taste of it in the two days we had to spend. Later this morning we’ll be back on the road again.