Weekend in New Orleans, LA

I decided to spend my summer weekend in downtown New Orleans and what a blast it was!  My only recommendation might be to visit during the cooler months of the year as it can get extremely hot and humid in summer! If you do go there during the hot season, be warned to take plenty of fluids -3 bottles of fluid for me on one day and some sunscreen as I got sunburn on the nose. It is not unheard of for persons to pass out from the extreme heat. If you enjoy people watching, the arts, and the festive atmosphere, then New Orleans is for you. There are plenty of activities from street performers, music, people watching, site seeing, shopping, and restaurants and bars. Visit Harrah's Casino near the Riverwalk Mall. Take a stroll along the Riverwalk area and shops. The French Quarter is the main draw where all the crowds are with its uniqueness no where else to be found.  Don't miss out on the French Market place with its produce and flea market. Worth a visit , north of the French Quarter, is Louis Armstrong Park and nearby St Louis Cemetary with tombs above the ground. This place is like a PARTY atmosphere and if you love music and the arts, there is plenty of it to see free of charge!



The RiverWalk area

 

Carriage ride tours line Jackson Square

Cemetary visit, just north of the French Quarter, Rampart St

 

The French Quarter with its shops, restaurants and bars, and street performers




 

Chinese New Year 2013 in Chinatown in Dallas

Happy Chinese New Year! What better way of welcoming the year of the snake then by visiting Richardson (Dallas), Tx's DFW Chinatown on Greenville Ave. Red Chinese Latterns strung out along the shopping center and Confucius and terra-cotta soldiers line up in the background.  Among the various Chinese shops and restaurants, there is at least one Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese restaurant in this plaza making this the multicultural place to visit. 

Lion Dance




Dragon performances followed by amazing Martial Arts Performances



Standing in line at the Chinese Community Center to get my name written in Chinese.

7 night Caribbean Cruise

Found a great deal - $600 (tax included) for a 7 night cruise for one traveler, departing and arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico and visiting the ports of St Thomas, St Lucia, St John, Guadeloupe, and St Croix . I enjoyed each port for different reasons. Upon arrival, St Thomas was most strikingly beautiful port with the ship surrounded by its green rolling hills. Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe is a French speaking island with all its French named streets  was the most interesting culturally, although it was not at all very scenic at port. The last port stop, Frederiksted, St. Croix, was fun and the most convenient port - everything was accessible at the port area: a park, a beach, and Fort Frederik, a historical landmark/museum with cannons facing out to sea. Lastly, Puerto Rico was the largest and most modern of all the islands in the Caribbean I've ever visited. It reminded me very much of Miami Fl.

View of St Thomas from the ship.

 

Excursion and a visit to the beach in St Lucia

 



Man on Stilts in St Croix

 



Exploring the older part of the city in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Towel animal in my stateroom.