Jan 5 - The sun actually has made an appearance. Hooray! But it's quite cool, down into the 30's last night with a chilly wind. Today is moving day, so it'll be great to have another sunny day for our rather short move. We're on to New Iberia (home of James Lee Burke's character, Dave Robicheaux) one of the main towns in Cajun/Creole country. We hope to taste a little true local food, and maybe catch a band doing some Cajun/Zydeco music. If we aren't successful in New Iberia, we'll move on to Lafayette or Opelousas, the latter claiming to be the Cajun Capital of the World.

Yesterday and the day before were spent prowling the city, eating the local food, enjoying the local characters, who are mixed in with a goodly sprinkling of tourists. There are a lot of street people here, but they tend to collect in small groups, sit on the sidewalks or up along the waterfront, sharing stories, booze, the odd joint, looking after their dogs, but not really bothering the passersby. We've been hit on for hand-outs rarely. One guy up on the riverfront wanted to bet me he could tell me where my shoes are from. The punch line was "I ain't saying where you got them,  or bought them, they's from on your feet". Then of course he wanted to clean them for money. Enterprising! Heard younger guys around the square trying the same line. Must have been his apprentices.

Music in the streets. Jackson Square, there is one huge man who sits and invites tourists to get their picture taken with him and whoever else joins him...tuba player, trombone player, drummer, what ever. He plays trumpet, and belts out tunes like 'St. James Infirmary" with great gusto. Down the way there may be a young man playing beautiful violin. Or last night as we headed for the streetcar there was a group of young guys near Canal Street blasting out irregular music with drums, two tubas and a variety of other instruments. Yesterday morning, as we waited for the Charles Street streetcar, a woman was driving a customized golf cart down the Canal Street sidewalk blaring out good r and b music. Two ladies walking by started to dance. This was at around noon.

And of course, along Bourbon Street, the music starts in mid-afternoon, and roars on until the wee hours. The street has been pretty much taken over by hustle joints, but there can still be found the odd place worth going to. We had dinner yesterday at Pat O'Briens, good N'Orleans food, and enjoyed a beer at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, a little bar with lots of atmosphere. But we much prefer Frenchmen's Street, where there are 6 or 7 clubs that feature good music, and the atmosphere along the street is much more subdued and comfortable.

We did the Garden District yesterday, enjoying a look at the wonderful old houses. Places owned by famous people, like Ann Rice, and the house where Jefferson Davis lived his final year. The old Lafayette Cemetery number 1 was also worth a wander and a wonder. Later, we climbed back on the streetcar and went as far as Audubon Park, where the zoo is located, opposite Tulane and Loyola Universities. The day before, I also toured the Cabildo while Gail shopped (she'd gone through it two years ago), to learn more of the history of Louisiana. Well worth the two hours. My brain was crammed...couldn't finish the whole thing, there was so much information. We also had to have cafe au lait and beignets (deep fried doughnuts covered with icing sugar) at The Cafe du Monde.

So over the three days we have done pretty much all we wanted. Generally, three days of touring in almost any city we've visited over the years is enough. Time to move on. Cajun country awaits.