We got into New Orleans before night fall, found a  nice room for us and
Joubie at the French Quarter Courtyard on Rampart Street  adjacent to the French
Quarter.  One block to the Louis Armstrong Park and  a few blocks from all the
action on Bourbon Street.  We got ourselves  situated and were off for
explorations by 7 pm.  Winding our way down to  Bourbon Street we find ourselves
immersed in another circus of sorts.  We  end up going to Pat-O's for diner and
drinks.  Good Jumbalya, Catfish,  Hurricanes and Mint Juleps !  Back out on the
streets we find good music  and Big Ass Beers everywhere.  Ended up in some
joint with a great  Blues band and then went for a walk on the Moon Walk along
the Mississippi then  off to bed.
    Monday we went touring around and visited as much  of the French Quarter
as possible before wearing out our feet.  Being  accosted at every turn by
someone wanting our money, we held tight, took a  carriage ride and got some good
relaxing tourist info.  Down through the  narrow streets we find a Flea
Market next to a Jimmy Buffet's  Margaritaville Emporium.  We stop in there just to
satisfy our curiosity  and think of our Parrot Head friends Cathy & Greg.  We
saw lots of  nice, expesive  Jimmy Buffet items there.  Up on Bourbon Street
again  we buy a voodoo doll at Marie Leveaux's, the Voodoo Queen if you didn't
 know.  Walking around more lead us to a bar where a Zydco band was just
starting with 3 for one beers.  We spent the rest of the afternoon there  and
eventually decided we needed to walk off the beers before having  supper.  Back
to our hotel, freshen up and back out to the circus.  We  found a great all you
can eat fresh shrimp diner, ate way too much shrimp, went  out to walk it off
stopping to hear some great music here and there.   Further up on Bourbon
Street we find two brand new Lamborginis in front  of an Italian Restaurant.  I
get Rita to take some pics but she's not  too interested.  Off we go and walk
our way back home and sleep  again.
    Tuesday morning amidst cloudy skies we pack up and  head for Clarksdale,
Mississippi.  We stop at the Cemetery near our Hotel  where Marie Leveaux is
buried.  Visit to her grave we find there are others  there doing some kind of
ritual that is supposed to bring good luck.  We  pass on that, take some pics
then head off outta New Orleans.
    We are stopped now for a lunch break at the Flying  J near Jackson and
hope to get into Clarksdale by evening.  There we will  spend some time looking
around the Blues Museum and see the Cross Roads where  Robert Johnson sold his
soul to the devil.  Wish us luck !

    PS, still no news from Ina.  New Pics are also  being uploaded, enjoy !
Gotta run, Clarksdale is calling !

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2005
'87 Westy, '90 Carat &  Lionel Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/)  &_ CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in  the Ottawa Valley_STEBRO/Vanagon
Stainless Steel  Mufflers_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)   _Frank
Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)  or
http://frankcondelli.com