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| We couldn't check into our hotel in New Orleans until the afternoon, so we decided to explore the area we liked north of Lake Pontchartrain. We arrived in Mandeville and were pleased to happen upon a farmers market where we grabbed a bite for breakfast and checked out all the vendors. |
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| We continued to the waterfront park and walked around. |
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| The Southern Live Oak trees are incredible! |
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| The Spanish Moss is beautiful! |
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| We stopped for lunch at a cute little local diner. |
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| Cara's grilled cheese and tortilla soup |
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| Eric's biscuits and gravy with homemade potato chips |
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| The women's bathroom walls were covered with funny sayings. |
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| We took the causeway across Lake Pontchartrain into New Orleans. |
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| Our hotel room wasn't ready right away, so they stored our bags and we walked around for a bit. |
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| We stopped in at the bar that one of our friends in Belize used to own. |
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| We listened to this guy play a unique instrument in Jackson Square, then went and checked in at our hotel. |
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| We lucked into good rates for the Place d'Armes Hotel in the heart of the French Quarter. |
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| We loved the charm of this historic hotel. |
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| We cleaned up then headed back out into the French Quarter. |
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| We eventually had dinner at Mona's Cafe on Frenchman Street, one of our favorite areas. This is Cara's Lebanese Tea, with rosewater and pine nuts - yum! She also had a falafel sandwich. |
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| Eric had the special. |
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| The next day we walked all over the French Quarter. Here are vendors at Jackson Square that we passed on our way to the riverfront park. |
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| The mighty Mississippi River. |
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| Much of Bourbon Street was torn up while pipes were being fixed. |
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| Because of the construction many places had such signs offering free drinks as a way to get people in the door. |
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| We found a misted respite from the sun. |
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| We searched around, hoping to find a particular clarinet player and her band. Success!!! |
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| Jackson Square |
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| We went over to the Marigny area for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Sukho Thai. We enjoyed some delicious vegetarian fresh rolls... |
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| ...and a vegetarian curry. |
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| In the median "park" of the boulevard called Esplanade. |
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| Art at Louis Armstrong Park |
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| Free concert in Congo Square |
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| More of Louis Armstrong Park... |
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| Sculpture of Charles "Buddy" Bolden |
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| This RV was completely covered in stickers. |
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| We made our way to a pedestrian mall that is Exchange Place. |
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| We stopped for a snack at another favorite restaurant, Green Goddess. |
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| Beet hummus |
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| More walking around... |
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| More music on Frenchman Street... |
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| We ended with the obligatory (and deliciously decadent) beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. |
