New Orleans con't

After Faulkner's bookstore we catch a ride on the St. Charles wooden streetcar to the Garden District. The Garden District is the American side of New Orleans. Here's a quick history lesson: New Orleans was founded by the French, then secretly given to the Spanish who eventually gave it back to the French who sold it the fledgling United States (Louisiana Purchase). After the purchase Americans moved from the East Coast to New Orleans in great numbers. The problem was they weren't very welcome in N.O. so they moved west of Canal Street and founded their own city, which now is the Garden District. The successful Americans built beautiful mansions. We walked around through part of the Garden District and stumbled on to an overpriced art show. We hopped the streetcar back to the hotel.

One of the confusing things about New Orleans is the street names. In the French Quarter most of the streets are French or Spanish in name. Once a street crosses Canal street the street name changes. For example N. Peter Street turns into Tchoupitoulas Street. I honestly have no idea how to pronounce that, but I digress.

After a quick rest, we ride the Waterfront Streetcar to the end of the line and walk 15 blocks to a ridiculously good restaurant. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed so we walked through the Bywater Neighborhood, with its old houses, restaurants, coffee shops and bars. After the long walk back we eat at the Crescent City Brew House. Their bread pudding was deliciously amazing. It was Staci's first experience with bread pudding and she loved it. During the whole meal was a jazz trio playing their hearts out in the restaurant. Did I mention there's music everywhere in New Orleans?