New Orleans, Louisiana

Note: All photos were taken in 2004, before hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.

A map of New Orleans by Yahoo. The Mississippi river is like a giant "M" encompassing the city.


Let's start at the New Orleans Aquarium of the Americas which is just on the bank of the Mississippi river on the Canal Street. Often, there are music festivals in the park around the aquarium.


A view at the Mississippi river, the bridge connects New Orleans and the Algiers suburb. There is a free ferry between the two every 30 min. Mississippi is a busy river with a lot of commercial traffic. The characteristic long transport boats floating up and down on Mississippi (all consonant letters are double in the name: ss, ss, pp).


On board of the ferry, checking the muddy brown waters. Another view of the bridge from the ferry crossing the river. The ferry control tower with the captain


Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Getting back on the shore, let's go to the French Quarter which is just behind the Aquarium. This the Saint Louis Cathedral in the center of the Quarter


Enough sightseeing, let's check out the street atmosphere for which New Orleans is famous. There are a lot of shops selling alligators - whole and different parts. Who is buying this anyway?,,,


Music is everywhere and so are the reminders that this is the town of Mardi Gras


The sunrise of a new day over the Mississippi river.


Let's check out the river walk which is just to the right of the Aquarium and the ferry port. The flow of the great Mississippi river, it looks like everything is centered around it. Old style street lamps


Forget about the ferry, let's get a proper boat down the river. The ride is having jazz and Cajun music as a background


This vessel belongs to the Spanish Royal Navy and came across the Atlantic to New Orleans. You can see the Spanish flag


More muddy waters. A view at the downtown. Cajun music is playing and the river breeze is blowing. This is life... This is tanker is half full...or half empty...Look at the red painting, it is supposed to be underwater


The afternoon is to take a ride on a St. Charles Avenue Streetcar. The one in the picture is No 5, reminding us of the Tennessee Williams play "A Streetcar Named Desire" ...


General Lee (?) circle


The 100 years old oaks on St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District. There are a lot of Mardi Gras beads hanging from the branches

The Fashionable French Quarter - Intersection - The New York Times:



Further reading:

New Orleans, Louisiana in Wikipedia
New Orleans Online - The City of New Orleans' official tourism web site
"Creole soul" cookery in New Orleans - NPR 5/05
New Orleans: Beyond Bourbon Street, family fun - USA Today 5/05
Mississippi Delta's Economy, Way of Life Fading - NPR 6/05
Tough times for New Orleans musicians. USA Today, 08/2007.
New in New Orleans. NYTimes, 11/2007.
36 Hours in New Orleans - Slide Show - NYTimes, 2012.
36 Hours - New Orleans - NYTimes, 2012.