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July 23, 2004
Riding Around America: Intro to New Orleans
I think I'm going to like New Orleans. The train ride into the city involved a long stretch on the causeway across Lake Pontchartrain north of the city. All eyes were glued to the windows as the sun descended below the horizon.
It was only 9:00 pm when I checked into my hotel so I thought I'd see what was happening in the French Quarter. Bourbon Street, actually. The interesting thing about New Orleans is that there is no law against carrying drinks around in public. As long as it's in a non-breakable container, it's perfectly legal to carry your drink around in public. I actually felt out of place for not having a drink in my hand as I walked down the street. It was above and beyond what I expected. Beer, beads, bars and bands on every block. I tried to count the bars that had live music but lost track somewhere around two dozen. Masses of people walking down the street and people watching from the balconies above. The great thing is that it is perfectly safe. People were imbibing, having a good time, and everyone was polite. It was only 11:00 but still, I was impressed. I can't imagine how crazy it is during Mardi Gras.
Tomorrow my plan is to get an early walking tour of the French Quarter from the National Park Service, which has a visitor center a few blocks away and then check out some other sites in the area. Watch for a post tomorrow that includes photos.
Posted on July 23, 2004 at 11:55 PM