Mardi Gra may be in February, but they celebrate year 'round in New Orleans! We had a great welcome party at our conference with dancing, cajun palm readers, jazz musicians, jugglers, stilted clowns, charicature artists, and even baby alligators to see up-close! So fun!!
Nobody can say I'm not an animal lover! But my friend Lila about had a heart attack getting even this close.
St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square in the French Quarter.
New Orleans' cemetaries are called "Cities of the Dead" because they are all put in tombs above ground. This tomb has 500 nuns in it, no kidding! They put one in and that slot can't be opened for a year and a day. Then they take the bones, put them in a bag and drop them into the bottom and put another body in the coffin in the same spot. Gross!
It was sad to see how much devastation occurred because of Hurricane Katrina 3 years ago. The worst areas had no houses left at all. This area is being built up by Habitat for Humanity as a place for the musicians to come home to.
On the last night we had a big formal banquet. Our Hawaii Division always wears Aloha Dresses and has leis shipped over for the night. All the other groups love it and want their pictures taken with us. It was really fun.
One fun night Andy Childs put on a great concert for us. If he looks familiar, he was 1st runner up in that Greatest American Band competition. He was really good!I had only two regrets when the trip was over. First I didn't get to go to a jazz place and just sit and enjoy it. We were too busy. And second, I didn't get to see Nicholas Cage who was filming a movie in New Orleans and staying at the hotel our conference was at. Some of my friends did see him, though, and got their picture taken with him. They said he was really nice... :( Too bad for me.
After a week we were all ready to go home and I loved getting back to my family and our beautiful Hawaii.
Amanda made some great friends on the trip. Here she is with a few of them in front of the "Friends" fountain in New York City. 
