Last night at this hotel. This time I can enjoy the all american breakfast. Waffle with syrup and bagel. Very healthy. I will move to a hotel close to the airport, because my flight leaves at 7:51 tomorrow and that is much easier than getting from the city to the airport early in the morning (plus the fact that you have to get up very early).

Today I do a paddle steamer tour down the Mississippi (a lot of s and i here), the the battlefield of the battle of New Orleans (1815). After putting my luggage in the storage I take the next streetcar down to the riverfront. Again a nice and sunny day. There are many options what you can do – swamp tours, plantation tours – but I have to look a little bit at the money and the historic boat trip it is. I buy my ticket and have some time to kill.

A visit to the outlet center at the river. Just window shopping. Nothing I need. I have goo time before I get back to the pier and have time for a small lunch.

Boarding the boat (which was build in 1983) and after everybody has boarded the tour starts. The guide (“historian”) has the most annoying voice I can think of and how he presents is very american (so proud and the best and the greatest), but some information is new and fills inn to the stuff I heard on the walk yesterday. BUT there is not much to see along the banks of the Mississippi. Mostly industry and more industry. After 45 minutes, we dock close to the battlefield.

We have 45 minutes, but cannot go to the right because there is no time for that part, but to the visitor center on the left. We will meet a ranger to guide us. The reason you can’t make it is because the go in 1/4 of the speed a normal person walks. And the battlefield is just that – a field with nothing else. An old house there and some old trees plus a visitor center and a monument to mark the victory of the Americans. The visitor center is what you expect it to be. A glorification of the brave soldiers that beat (and killed) the British army – you get a little bit sick of it. After the snail trail is back on the ship, we drive back to New Orleans. Sitting together with a couple from Florida that travels the country once a month. Nice small talk and you don’t have to listen to the hysterian/historian to much.

I’m not sure if this would be a recommendation for a trip. It is a boat trip on a river and a big lawn with a visitor center. It is more than the other paddle steamer does – they just go down the river and back again for the same price. I think the better option is to hop over this trip and try the swamp or plantation tour.

Just in time for a stroll along the river to Jackson square where I have my New Orleans geocaching event today. After some waiting two guys from Baltimore show up. The only ones. We stay a little bit to see if others are coming but then go to find a geocache close to the church. We have no luck but stay for about an hour telling geocaching stories. Nice to meet people from all over the world who share the same hobby. Some interesting stories. Time flies by and I have to get back to the hotel.

Getting my luggage at the hotel and now I have to figure out, how to get to the airport hotel. New Orleans has only 4 buses a day from Canal street to the airport, and the last is long gone. No public transport. That leaves Uber, but they want 60 USD for the ride (festival prices). Luckily I have installed the Lyft app (which is the same as Uber, just another company) and they can get me there for half of the Uber price. Still expensive, but a deal. The car arrives fast and 25 minutes later I am at the Comfort Inn New Orleans Airport. Get in my room and my left foot is hurting like hell. I think I did a little bit to much walking the last 10 days. Can’t put weight on it or roll it. Yeah… like that.

Packing my luggage for the flight (all organized for fast security check). The alarm will go off at 5:45 tomorrow. Good night.