The Big Easy

We had heard our RV friends talk about the wonderful RV park just off the French Quarter in New Orleans, so we had been wanting to go there for a while. Then we heard about the AARP convention in New Orleans (Sept. 20 – 22). We looked at the impressive programs and speakers and decided to go as part of our trip to the Country Coach International rally in Charlotte. New Orleans wasn’t exactly on the way, but we enjoyed every mile. The French Quarter RV Resort is two blocks off the French Quarter and the New Orleans skyline is is a dramatic sight.                                One day was “trolley day” and we rode most of the system. The St. Charles Street trolley in the Garden District was our favorite due to the mansions, universities, and general beauty of the area. We biked in Audubon Park and enjoyed the biking under the giant live oaks and seeing the graceful Greek Revival and Victorian mansions.                       
     
     
     
The Riverfront line runs from downtown to the open air market.
     
Bicycling was high on our agenda.  In addition to biking in Audubon Park, we caught the free Algiers ferry across the river. The ride gave us a great view of the New Orleans skyline, but the big lure of Algiers is the bike trail along the river. We had planned to bike in the French Quarter, but we found the streets to be too narrow and rough with too much traffic.  We also enjoyed bicycling along the river front on the New Orleans side of the Mississippi.      
     
               
     
           
     
We enjoyed two great restaurants in the Garden District, a Vietnamese and an interesting taqueria.  One day we went out to Metairie to enjoy the “real” New Orleans cuisine at a neighborhood seafood restaurant. George had a classic Oyster Po Boy while Irene had pecan crusted grouper.                
     
                
We enjoyed seeing the giant diesel powered pumps we had seen on TV that the Corps of Engineers built along with a new levy system to prevent New Orleans from flooding like it did during hurricane Katrina.
     
At the AARP convention which was held in the convention center we saw VP candidate Paul Ryan live while President Obama was streamed live via satellite. We heard political commentator couple James Carville and Mary Matalin live, and by the way they live in the Garden District. Also live was New Orleans chef Emerald Lagasse interviewed by Today Show host Hoda Cotb.  The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and other groups also performed, calling forth some real “movin’ “ on the dance floor.      

                          
 
The convention had great vendors and seminars and will be held in Atlanta next October. We will probably go again.