Arrival

WE MADE IT! I was THRILLED to look out of the train's window and see the Super Dome, where the New Orleans Saints play. It had been a long and only semi-comfortable ride and I was ready for some fresh air. I haven't visited the south since moving back to Illinois in 2012 and as soon as I smelled the air and saw the palm trees - I fell back in love! We called a cab to take us to our hotel, as walking a mile with our luggage didn't seem like a very fun idea. $15 and about 7 minutes later - we made it to our temporary home. We rushed up to our room in order to shower before we went out for the night. (We all felt a little grimy from the train.)

I am from Chillicothe, which is a town of about 6,000 people. We house a few gas stations, one main street (which has three stoplights), and one grocery store. The population of the French Quarter is around 4,000. The French Quarter is a 78-square block area. (13 blocks long, 6 blocks deep.) (Frenchquarter.com, 2015) To say that I was a little bit overwhelmed by the chaos that is the city is an understatement. I loved riding on the street car. All I could think about was how cool my almost 5-year old would think it was. I look forward to taking him some day. I also thought it was a way more fun way to get around than a city bus or a taxi.

I've been in the French Quarter a time or two, but this has definitely been the best experience thus far. Dinner at Pierre Maspero's was good. I was glad to find something even I, being the picky eater that I am, would like. I also really loved the ghost tour we received and though I didn't necessarily believe in everything she was saying, her enthusiasm kept me hooked. Hearing the stories (real or gumbo yaya) is so interesting. I look forward to the rest of the week. 

Resource:

Frenchquarter.com. (2015). FrenchQuarter.com: French Quarter FAQ. Retrieved from: http://www.frenchquarter.com/about/FAQ/php