I want to go where the riverboat sails tonight...

New Orleans is a very interesting town.  I learned this firsthand while I was there for the first time this past weekend for a conference. Since the trip was business-related, I really didn't have time to visit the areas hardest-hit by Katrina. 

But I did spend a lot of time in the French Quarter (as my hotel was there), and more time than necessary on Bourbon Street.  Bourbon Street is sort of like Cancun in the United States: public drinking on the street is legal and encouraged, Places are open almost all night, and the street is full of cheesy bars, dance floors, restaurants and strip clubs.  I would imagine the biggest difference is that many people I saw participating in this scene would be too old for Cancun.  Live music was also readily available, but I think the best of it was off Bourbon in other areas of the Quarter.  My conference buddies and I were very sleep-deprived by the time Saturday rolled around.

I sampled the fantastic food, particularly the seafood, available throughout the city.  Even though the town's southern roots were readily evident from the accents of many of the town's neighbors, the general atmosphere felt much more tolerant than other areas of the South that I've passed though.  This may be a result of the city's French heritage, its commitment to tourism, the high number of transplants from other parts of the country, or all of the above.  The city is definitely an eclectic mix of cultures and striking architecture, and I now understand why so many non-residents were horrified at the immediate post-Katrina possibility of New Orleans being wiped off the map.  Let's hope that never comes to pass.    

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