humidity and the respite of museums

Okay, so it's in the 90s and it's humid. We tried to bravely go forward into the French Quarter anyway but we suffered for it.

After a mediocre breakfast, we walked and looked in store windows, wilting more and more. So we did two museums (because museums are not only interesting, they are air-conditioned). The first had a huge exhibit about Mardi Gras so it was very colorful and wild! I liked the sketches of costumes, like fashion drawings gone crazy.

The second museum had to do with the Louisiana Purchase - we walked through the room where it was signed - and then a special exhibit about the aftermath of Katrina. This was all photos and, needless to say, depressing.

(A tangent - it was REALLY weird when we drove into New Orleans the other day because we came past the Superdome; Rylan commented that it was an unhappy icon and we all felt sad to see it.)

We walked from there to the Mississippi River bank where we saw the port and lots of huge ships looking too big to go upriver, but they did. Walked around a little more and the humidity finally beat us down - we returned to the hotel. Later, Richard and I went on our own to two more museums. An 1850s house which was just what it sounds like. And the former US Mint, which had an extensive exhibit about Napoleon Bonaparte. Didn't think I was much interested in Napoleon, but it was educational (and air-conditioned).

Our hotel room is the perfect temperature, the local TNT station runs movies constantly so Ry can relax at the tv, and we hide out here until it is time to go do the next thing . . . out there in the heat.

Tonight is dinner at the Commanders Palace, supposedly the best restaurant in New Orleans, or the South or maybe even the United States! whatever. it will be good, it will be air-conditioned.

Tomorrow - a swamp tour!