New Orleans
(or NOLA)
I came to New Orleans for the wedding of my dear friends Sarah Rose and John. The ceremony was brilliant and deeply touching. But the entire wekk was magical, starting with the plane ride. As I walked down the aisle toward m,y seat, I saw a lady with a terrific hat. I was going to say that to her... when I realized I knew thei lady, and the gentlem,an sitting next to her -- Sarah Rose's parents. Then next to the empty seat, which was mine -- Kenny, her brother. I'd say isn't this amazing, except that this sort of thing happens quite often around Sara Rose, who is a magical person.
I stayed at an AirBnB on Frenchmen Street in the Faubourg Marigny, just down from the French Quarter. It was also where we ended up partying and listening to live music every night.
That's me on the left on the porch, and the Red Room on the right where I slept.
Below, that's John & Sara Rose during the ceremony, and her dad Ken after.
Below, Sarah Rose with the amazing dancing baby. At right, her amazing dancing mom.
And here's the mighty Mississippi River. At this spot it's over 200 feet deep. That's like 20 stories, or you could sink most of those buildings (in the downtown or CBD -- Central Business District, as they call it here) in the river and they would barely stick up above the water...
We spent most of our time downriver from the Quarter in the Faubourg Marigny, which is much less touristy than the Quarter. I walked even farther down (that's downriver) to the Bywater section which is becoming an arts center (as the Marigny becomes gentrified. **sigh** Isn't that the pattern everywhere...?)
The cemeteries here must be above ground because the water level is so high, you can't dig but a few feet before you hit water. But also, they are really into their cemeteries, spending a lot of money on fancy graves.
