New Orleans!!!

New Orleans was such a blast. We saw so many sights and did so many fun things. I think the best part of the trip was that it was just James and I. I missed the little guys a ton but it was so nice to go and come as we pleased.
We started off our trip in Utah. We were able to stay there just a few days so the kids could settle in. We then continued on to New Orleans. The first day there we walked along the Garden District. We saw one of the oldest cemeteries there. We also saw Eli Mannings house. ( we didnt know it was his until later when I took a city tour) We were getting hungry and decided to eat and the Commanders Palace. We did not realize beforehand that it had a dress code and was quite nice. Thankfully we were in nice enough clothing. The food was amazing as well as the service. It was my first experience with "fine dining" and I LOVED it. We had like 3 waiters. If the ice started to melt in our water, they brought a new glass of water. Since I love food, I was in heaven. We then caught the street car down to Audobon Park. We walked all around the park and down to the zoo. It was beautiful. Lots of wildlife. We took the streetcar back to the hotel and then walked around the French Quarter. It was getting dark so we didnt take too many pictures but will come back when its lighter. We went in the St. Louis Cathedral. It was amazing. I have never been in a catholic church before. It was very ornate.
The next day we had brunch at Cafe Du Monde. They are famous for their beignets. Pretty much a type doughnut with lots of powdered sugar. Dont wear black pants. They were good. Nothing to make a special trip daily for, but good. We walked all around the French Quarter and decided to stop at Market Cafe for some po boys sandwiches. The sandwiches were good but the service was terrible. We probably waited a good 30 to 45 minutes for sandwiches! Our waitress would disappear for 20 minutes at a time. It sucked. James had to work today so I thought I would walk around a bit but we have been walking non stop. I guess my shoes weren’t supportive enough because I had shin splints, so I decided to nap a little and catch upon business calls. When James got done we went to the Garden District and ate at a crepe restaurant. It wasn’t very good but we enjoyed the atmosphere and the cat that hung out with us throughout the meal. We saw some missionaries on the way home and talked to them. Its always fun to hear missionary stories.
James had to work again so I went touring alone. I went across the Mississippi River to Mardi Gras world where all the floats are made. It was pretty interesting. It was cool to see all of the floats. I then walked around to different shops and to Harrahs casino until it was dinner time. For dinner we went on a riverboat cruise. We had Creole food and listened to Jazz while we floated down the Mississippi. I loved it.
James worked again the next day so I took a city tour. It was awesome. I learned so much about the city and some of its history. We went to the 9th ward and saw the destruction from hurricane Katrina. It was so sad. I almost cried. There was just so much devastation. After the tour a group of ladies invited me to lunch with them because I was alone. They were really nice. After lunch I walked around and explored different art galleries. I love looking at art but it makes me sad that I never followed that path in my life. The artists were there and it was so great to talk to them and hear what they had to say about their experiences and inspirations. That night James and I went on a ghost tour. It was totally creepy. We took pictures of ghosts and learned about different haunted places. We went to the Lalaurie Mansion. It was really creepy, google it.
Today was my favorite day! We took a bus out to the Oak Alley Plantation. It was nice. Then we took an airboat bayou tour. It was so AWESOME!!! We saw all kinds of wildlife. I got to see alligators, birds, and an armadillo. Best of all, I got to hold a baby alligator!!! I loved it. She was so dang cute. Her name was Marshmallow. That night we had dinner at Dickey Brennans steakhouse. M-A-ZING!!! I tried fried oysters. Delish.
The next day we just kind of walked around and saw the different sights. We packed our bags and got ready to return to reality. We ate at Nola. It is one of Emerils restaurants. It was also really good. It was an amazing trip. One that I will always remember. New Orleans definitely has something for everyone.