New Orleans, 4-5 August 2004

Emily took me the Oakland Airport early on Wednesday and around 7 am I took off for N'awlins, a first for me.  Four hours later, via a direct Southwest Airlines flight I arrived in the stifling heat, promptly caught shuttle to the hotel in Metairie, and then took a cab to the French Quarter with a detour to the IHNC canal and lock.  For the remainder of the day I walked around, saw a lot of wrought iron balcony railings, and ate gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets (3 for $1.33 at Cafe Du Monde at the corner of Jackson Square on Decatur and St. Ann).  The following day I met Dale and Mr. Woods in the hotel lobby for breakfast and then we drove the URS office overlooking Lake Pontchartrain where we discussed a report we were preparing for the New Orleans USACE regarding a replacement for the aging IHNC lock.  Dale and I caught a direct flight back to Oakland, arriving around 10 pm, while Mr. Woods stayed in New Orleans until Sunday.