I refuse to call something I want to do” bucket list”. To me that seems to imply you have put an ending point to everything and from that point on, well it’s a done deal. I prefer a need to see or do list. One of the items on my list was a trip to New Orleans. New Orleans is a city that is constantly moving. Being on the Mississippi river at the crescent turn of the water. Trade and history are a big part of the story. The people of New Orleans want you there. They are friendly and helpful. They are fun and pleasant and grateful for tourists. The weather in late October was perfect. 70 deg with little humidity. There were a couple of mornings with showers, but the sun showed up for the afternoon. The trees were green and pretty. The flowers were beautiful. The architecture was amazing. French, Spanish and modern. There was a story and a history behind everything. I traveled with my neighbor Dana who has relocated with her husband to Texas with his employer. It was a girl’s trip. We purchased transportation passes for trolly, bus and even ferry. They were cheap and made our excursions super easy. We stayed in the Garden District. The trolly ran right outside the front door of the place we stayed. Trolly cars are clean. Safe and full of tourists and locals traveling without using their own vehicles. They run every 15 minutes. You get on, flash your pass and take a seat. Dana oversaw destinations and trolly changes. She gets and A+ for tour guide. Our first day we visited St Louis Cemetery #1. Final resting place of many prominent New Orleans families. Plus, the believed resting place of Marie Laveau. She was the proclaimed Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Being built in hurricane territory and on the Mississippi, the cemeteries are above ground mausoleums holding many generations of the same family. Reused and reburied constantly. The history is amazing. We saw amazing history of the city. We did it at our own pace. We ate great food. My only negative take away is this. The city could use a good cleaning. I don’t mean to be washed by a hurricane. I mean street sweepers, some brooms and the mop on the floor of shops and cafes The road ways, bridges and street curbs and full of trash. Old tires, dirt and just stuff. You could blow the dirt out of your nose at the end of the day. It was amazing, but dirty. I appreciate the cleanliness of Kansas. The stores, the roadways, the streets. We have maybe a less colorful past, but we have a shiny clean present. Take a trip, see the sights. Learn some history. Hear the music. Go somewhere out of your comfort zone. Enjoy