New Orleans day 3

It's Friday.  I have seen this guy at least 3 or 4 times at this conference.  He has red hair with a well-trimmed beard.  The first time I had to do a double take because I thought he was James.  After the first time, I realized that he doesn't look entirely like James, but close enough that it is really weird.

Here's a picture of the exhibition hall where I have tried to gather as many free pens and pencils as possible and even some other good information.

After the conference today I headed to the WWII museum.  My mom has also been here and I have wanted to go.  It is part of the Smithsonian and I learned that it is in New Orleans because of the work of Stephen Ambrose and the fact that Andrew Jackson Higgins (New Orleans native) was the inventor and manufacturer of the Higgins boats which were instrumental in both fronts of WWII.

The museum basically covers the entire history of the war from the U.S. perspective.  It was cool!

Afterwards, I went to one of the movies at the exhibit called, "Beyond All Boundaries."  

Next, I had this great idea to go down St. Charles to look at some old New Orleans houses.  I found this giant monument to Robert E. Lee and waited for a street car, but after a long while it never came.  I also realized that it didn't turn around and go back like I'd thought and that I'd have to end up walking a ways back to my hotel when I was done.  So, I decided that was a bad idea and I didn't need to see old houses.  I started trekking back towards the hotel and at this point was starving.  I passed  a couple of restaurants, but nothing looked good (plus, I seemed to be in the super fancy expensive restaurant district, as well).  

I did the following, then headed back to my room for the night: bought a chocolate milk at a souvenir shop, dropped off my heavy backpack and exchanged it for a smaller bag in my room, walked toward the french quarter again for a pizza place I had seen before, bought a slice of pizza, bought my kids a souvenir, listened to some zydeco-type music while I ate my slice, was offered a shot of alcohol (strange), and walked back to my room.

This is a look down St. Charles while I was waiting for the street car that wasn't.  To the right of this photo, a couple of blocks, is the Superdome and these freeways reminded me of all the people walking on them to the Superdome during Katrina.  There is a museum all about Katrina in the french quarter, but it was closed.