My Thoughts on NOLA

I am sitting on my hotel bed at the Marriot in New Orleans. We leave early tomorrow to head back to SLC. We did a lifetime of touring in just a short time and I am SO tired, but had so much fun. I hate to admit it, but I had a LOT more fun than I thought I would. The work conference itself was lame and not very useful/helpful but I will not dwell on that. I took tons of pics which I will post later, but here are just a few things I have learned about NOLA (yeah...that stands for New Orleans, Louisiana....I am like a local now):

1. Bourbon street is SO not exciting. We walked down our first morning and it smelled like urine and vomit (well that was actually most of the city but especially down Bourbon).
2. Everyone is so friendly. It may be because they are drunk, but nonetheless pleasant people.
3. In the French quarter all of the buildings were built by the Spanish except for 3 of the buildings.
4. There is a lot of history in this town with vampires and ghosts. No...seriously though. We even went on a ghost tour. It was awesome.
5. Nicholas Cage owns a multi-million dollar French Quarter property/townhome which when he found out was haunted decided to never live or sleep there (not even once). We saw it on our tour....it was pretty awesome. The story about how it became haunted is even crazier! Ask me about it sometime...
6. Beignets are powdered french donuts of which I can probably eat 6 in a row.
7. This is the only state where pedestrians do not have the right of way and there are no drinking laws (even while driving). Um scary?
8. The JW Marriot hotel is quite pleasant. I recommend it. There are even people who have lived in the hotel for over 2 years (they are helping rebuild Katrina ravaged neighborhoods). The fitness room is great too!
9. It is hot and HUMID. I was swimming in sweat daily. TMI?
10. The buildings in the French Quarter are amazing. Owners are not allowed to alter the outside of a building in any way. They can only restore it to its original color/materials.
11. You can buy a voodoo doll, praline caramels, shirt with swear words, beads beads beads, masks, and a daiquiri on any street in NOLA!
12. Once is enough.