New Orleans Jazz Festival

New Orleans was always a place we wanted to go and we were not disappointed.  We went during the French Quarter Festival, a free four day jazz festival where you can enjoy all kinds of live entertainment, great food and many special events throughout the historic French Quarter.  This festival is on a smaller scale than Mardi Gras but a great party atmosphere nonetheless.  On our first day, we walked along the streets of the French Quarter down to the waterfront where there were bands playing and all kinds of food and drink available. We chowed down on Shrimp Po Boys and Crawdads...delicacies down in New Orleans. We drank Hurricanes from the legendary Pat O'Brien's. It was great to be able to walk around with a drink in hand and take in all the sights.  It was particularly odd to see down on the waterfront that the street level is actually lower than the water level.  When you look out toward the Mississippi River it is actually higher on the horizon than where you are standing. In addition to the many bands that play the Festival, there are many local street entertainers.  We saw this hillbilly band strumming a banjo, fiddle and wash board.  There is a mystique about the area that is hard to describe.  All along the French Quarter there are historic sites, great restaurants and bars and all kinds of shops including Voodoo shops where you can buy your own voodoo dolls.  

The second picture was taking while we were taking a riverboat ride down the mighty Mississippi. The river is massive and actually does have a muddy appearance.  It is certainly a sight to see.