my trip to new oreleans

what fun...new orleans. i went with some people from school for the meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. there were 11 of us, 10 students and one spouse (and parents, but we didn't meet them). We had a good time.

we went all over the french quarter


becky, chad and garry near Decatur.


water meter cover--neat art for general public--art on the street

the buildings are way neat, with nice iron work and neat hurricane doors, etc.



We stayed at a really ritzy hotel, the Royal Sonista right on Bourbon Street and complete with a doorman (in top-hat and cape) and concierge and over 500 rooms.



then on the second day, we went to the garden district by trolley and had fun...found 3 cats--one in a cemetery (below), and two in yards


neat tomb--they cannot bury people below ground because the water table is too high, so they have large cemeteries with tombs...some begin really old and some are more new or just with newer dates.



i even saw one with a bench for contemplation...then there are many really neat, pretty houses also with neat hurricane shutters, full door shutters, etc.



THEN on the third day, we went to the aquarium of the americas and i got to pet a penguin!!



how neat is that???

well, then we went to the meeting, which actually started on thursday--we had some people attend the meetings that we needed to and on friday we didn't win the student subunit award, like we thought we should have. NC state won. again. we have no idea what they did to earn the award, but they won. sigh. we did spend some time socializing with some other fish girls and boys.



finally, we got to meet pete the cat (petethecat.com) and becky got her picture taken with him...



Ok, that is probably enough for now...i do not think i have ever made such a large entry...we had a good time, but it is always nice to be home again!