sleep much the night before, so we stopped for a coffee break and to eat a snack. It was so hot and humid which just made me want to be on the bike the whole day cause the breeze is so refreshing.
We got to New Orleans and were welcomed warmly by the Edri family who are close friends with Dovid. We unpacked our gear as fast as possible because it began to rain again. Even though it was rainy the weather was still hot and humid. The roads in New Orleans are bumpy and raggedy which is extremely uncomfortable to ride on. Since 2005 when Katrina hit the city there has been a lot of reconstruction in town and many houses and buildings have been rebuilt. However some of the bigger projects such as road work has not been fully fixed.
We went out that night to town to the French Quarter and to Bourbon street. The town is knows for it's unique people it attracts but also for its old architecture. It was established in 1718 almost 300 years ago, which makes it one of the oldest town in the United states. It does have a feel of an ancient place and reminds me of Nachlaot in Jerusalem, or Florentien in Tel Aviv. The down town is hopping every night and really is a city that doesn't sleep.
During the day we toured Canal street and went to see the local casino owned by Harra's. The casino has symbols and artifacts that resemble the unique city which makes it not generic at all. The specific casino we visited was more touristy and doesn't attract many local, because they gamble on the other side of town. We strolled down the river bank of the Mississippi and ate at a famous coffee shop called Cafe Du Monde. When we returned to our parked bikes we found a gift from the local police. A parking ticket... The only thing that comferted us is that all 4 of us got one including our hosts that live here. Oh well, everything is an experience.
