The Great Mississippi

I've always had a thing for New Orleans.  For Decades.  Probably since high school.  I think originally it might have been the music but as time went by it became an obsession.

Not too many years ago we decided to make a city list and start visiting.  Most of our trips at that point had been to Dublin or New York to visit families.  It was time to take vacations.  First we went
to Seattle and that was great.  It was easy it was close it was cheap. It was fun.  

The next year we went to New Orleans.  It did not disappoint.  If New York has my heart and San Francisco has my mind and body (get it? I live near here).  New Orleans took my soul.  The food, the music, the hurricanes, the voodoo , the people, the history, the architect, all of it.  

When we do these cities we are tourists.  All the places all the buses including a tour bus driven by Henry.  Henry was a pure bread native with a great sense of humor.  New Orleans can not be spoken of with out talking about Katrina.  The hurricane which devastated the city.

This particular picture is not characteristic because I'm smiling. I  shouldn't be.  If you look very very closely you can see the water mark from where the mighty Mississippi rose on that terrible September day.  

Take that in.  I love that city.  I will go back.