New Orleans

Monday
Hyatt Regency New Orleans

Our Hotel, Back View

Our Hotel, Front View

Courtyard Cafe

Atrium, From 1st Floor
Our room was on the 9th floor, on the right.
The glass-walled elevators are on the far wall.

Atrium, From 9th Floor
View from the hallway outside near our room on the 9th floor.

Oak Alley Plantation

While Alan went to his conference, I went on a tour of the Oak Alley Plantation.

"Located on the Mississippi River between the historic Louisiana cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Oak Alley Plantation has been called the 'Grande Dame of the Great River Road'. Nowhere else in the south will you find such a spectacular setting! The quarter-mile canopy of giant live oak trees, believed to be nearly 300 years old, forms an impressive avenue leading to the classic Greek-revival style antebellum home."

Front View of Oak Valley Plantation

Back View of Oak Valley Plantation

Dining Room

A servant/slave would pull the fan cord, which was a pulley mechanism that ended in a corner of the room, so that it "waved" back and forth over the diners---not too fast so that the candles would stay lit.

Master Bed Room

Rolling Pin Bed

The servants/slaves would roll the bed smooth every morning.

Front Porch, Second Floor

Sugar Cane Field

After touring the house, we walked out to the sugar cane field and learned about how sugar cane is processed.

Sugar Cane

A fellow tourist and I stayed after the tour to get a piece of sugar cane, which the guide hacked off for each of us. It's very sweet...you chew on the woody fibers then spit them out. I brought a stalk back for Matt and Alan.

Bus Ride Back to New Orleans

Tuesday
New Orleans Museum of Art

During the day, I went on a tour to the New Orleans Museum of Art, where there was a special exhibit, Treasures of Ancient Egypt.

French Quarter

Alan and I went on a conference-sponsored event House of Blues. Then we walked around the French Quarter.

House of Blues

French Market

Downriver from Jackson Square and Artillery Park the historic French Market on Decatur Street dates to 1791 and is the oldest farmer's market in the U.S.

Joan of Arc

The golden bronze statue of Joan of Arc on Decatur Street near the entrance to the French Market is an exact copy of the famous 1880 Emmanuel Fremiet equestrian statue of Joan located at Place des Pyramides, Paris

View From French Market
Here, Alan and I sat on a bench listening to some wonderful jazz.