Detour on the ride home....

 Changed directions and headed toward New Orleans as DH has business to conduct and it would've been dumb for him to drive home and then turn around and travel again when we were already on the road.

 Found some trees turning in one of the upper states.

Also love the buildings along side of the road - mostly in Virginia.

I really loved the sky on this one - it was way more dramatic than I captured.

Got it on this one.

We settled in and zipped on down to Felix Oyster Bar and ate our fill.

 I love oysters.

They're your friend - you can eat tons without breaking the calorie bank.

Got some chores I NEED to get done before I head out and get a do-over with my new camera.

Walking around New Orleans is always fun

 because its quite diverse. You can always find someone

trying to get attention.

Whether they want it or not.

I almost missed the above shot (which I know the settings aren't right) - but

how many times you get to see a big wheel like 

this roll down the street. 

He shot by me and I was really not paying attention.

So I just point and shot.

Sometimes you just gotta go with it.

 As I happened to be meandering the square I happened

upon this aspiring artist sleeping on the job.

Artists and seers jam the square touting their wares

 and it was just too perfect I caught this.

Artistic shot of the day. 

Snort.

Carriage rides are everywhere. We took one many

years ago and it was very interesting and fun.

This one was sort of shot from the hip.

Because I'm creative like that.

The Cabildo museum and French Market

Touring the museum was on my list

and they had tons of art, artifacts and information

from the Indians in Louisianna and all the

history in between.

It was very fascinating.

The museum is located next to the St. Louis cathedral.

 So I couldn't resist a do-over of the cathedral which is

beautiful without all the stages and cables that were being erected for

Mardi Gras and Superbowl when I was here last.

And this is the view from Artillery Park without a bunch

of peeps and junk in the way.

Timing is everything.

 I decided I needed to cruise on over to the French Market 

and this golden statue of Joan of Arc greets you as you stroll 

down the thoroughfare. The 

statue was presented to the city by Charles de Gaulle in 1959.

The French Market is actually a flea market and I couldn't

resist this wine glass. 

bwahahahaha!!!

 Returning to our abode I was shocked when I found that the

street was basically people free

and the blue and white building just begging to 

be photographed.

I adore the rustic-ness.

And the architecture.

and the balconies - make you swoon.

Around the Vieux Carre

 and that means "old square" - I had to look it up.

So I happened upon Jackson Square again.

You really can't help it.

Since people actually managed to stay out of my

camera lens I love this shot from the fountain out

to Andrew Jackson statue. Because the horses front

legs are in the air, it means the rider died in battle.

 Cruising the streets shops have amusing items in front of their door.

 I love the ethereal look of these buildings and I don't know how

I achieved it. Something I did with the exposure or lack thereof but

it muted everything and its really how they look in real life.

This is a popular hotel and its because of the corn on the posts of the 

fencing, but not only that its a beautiful, well kept structure and

just happens to be next door to the hotel below.

When I was last here, I took the haunted history tour 

the Andrew Jackson Hotel was on the tour and has

noted experiences of hauntings. It was a boarding school

back in the 1700's when a fire broke out and

5 children lost their lives.  

 and this bar was also on the list.

 In its former life, it was the LaFit brothers blacksmith

shop and its reported that its haunted by a girlfriend of one of them.

Notice the spot there - that I didn't notice when I took the photo - I'm

going with the spooky.....

because I can.

Stalking dead people..........

So it appears riff-raff like me can stalk the old cemeteries

between the hours of 9-4.

And I was totally all over it. 

Because I love cemeteries because they have history

and can tell you so much about the people

who lived here and their lives.

 It was a cloudy, gloomy sort of day and that was perfect for 

prowling around in St. Louis Cemetery.

It's amazing.

It's old.

And sadly decaying. 

Unless the families pay for perpetual care, they are 

in charge of tending their families graves.

And for quite a few there appears to be no family remaining.

Katrina didn't help.

 And this gem just flat stood out amongst the crypts.

I'm thinking and its so obvious that its a modern version of the pyramid.

Family crypts are multi-generational and

sometimes its difficult to tell the roles they played.

Movers and shakers or behind the scenes.

 This is the infamous Marie LaVeau's grave.
The multi-racial voodoo priestess who was born free as a daughter of a white planter.

There's no name plate, tombstone but you know its hers.

X's are placed on there for luck. There is also offerings of 

all kinds of trinkets and cards left for her.

Very interesting as she kind of stands alone.

Sort of.

 There are rows and rows like this.

Some crumbling. Some new. Some pristine.

Some awkward rows.
I  also found offerings of shells and rocks left on graves or in their
vicinity but I don't know why.
No one was there to answer that question.

 And don't people leave the darndest things on crypts and graves. 

This was just one of many that I'm sure has a great story to go with.

I'd love to know it.

There are all kinds of statues, crosses and iron fences 

honoring and guarding loved ones.

I have a lot more pix.

I know you can't wait.

Last day in New Orleans

 Playing with my new lens - which is a wide angle lens that

attaches to my 18-55 lens.

And has macro and super macro.

 I had a blast with it. This is Pirates alley which is

on the haunted tour. I didn't see no ghosts.

 I love this shot. There's so much more in the photo.

 Man on a smoke break.

It's my artistic shot of the day.

 Pat O'brien's bar.

I'm sure after you leave the bar this dude 

gets better looking.

 Carriage ride tour. 

Love the horse.

 Infamous Bourbon Street in the daylight.

 Which totally removes the mystique.

And the statues of famous jazzmen.

Fats Domino, Al Hirt and Pete Fountain.

Heading home tomorrow. Can't wait.

And yet I can.

Plumbing issues await.

Not happy about that.

At. all.