New Orleans

We traveled to New Orleans to celebrate my birthday, and it was a great trip (despite the fact that the noise at night kept us awake).  One of the highlights was a tour of the bayous and swamp land by seaplane.  I did feel a little queasy by the end of the flight, but the bayous were very beautiful and definitely worth seeing up close.





Skyline view - Superdome on the left, Mississippi River on the right.


Landing on the water in the bayou


Swamp


Later that day we toured the Garden District, full of antebellum mansions, beautiful parks, and unique cemeteries.






For my birthday dinner we went to Restaurant August.  Joe had a ribeye steak, complete with the entire rib bone, and I got a special message on my dessert plate.




We spent a lot of time walking around the French Quarter, where balcony gardens seem to be mandatory.


We also took a walking tour of some historic bars where the famous cocktails were invented.  Here we are drinking a Pimm's Cup at The Court of the Two Sisters.


And some traditional absinthe at a bar where everyone was dressed like pirates.


And of course hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's.


St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson's Square


And the Mississippi River