It’s been said that The French Market originated as a Native American trading post along the Mississippi River. Over several centuries, immigrants from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean launched their own establishments there, which to-date includes local produce, art, handmade crafts and one of my favorite landmarks, Café Du Monde, located near Jackson Square. There is no other place for me to go for breakfast to enjoy beignets and a café au lait, definitely, super delicious and super rich.

There are also landmarks that should be included as a must see, eat or go when planning a trip to New Orleans, they are; Bourbon Street, Pat O’Brian’s Hurricane, Jackson Square, a ride in a streetcar, (before Katrina there were three of them, St. Charles, Canal Street, and the Riverfront), a visit to St. Louis Cemetery and voodoo shops, and finally, do not leave New Orleans without experimenting the flavors of Po’ Boys, alligators, Jambalaya, Oysters and pralines. 

There are two cities in the USA, that when I go visit, I feel that I am in Europe or out of the states; they are Las Vegas and New Orleans. There is simply too much to see and explore and most of it, so different from where you live. Definitely, these are not cities to vacation with children, unless you plan to go to museums, landmarks and restaurants.  

Today, however, you and I are going to visit New Orleans, where the locals say; "Let the Good Times Roll". This is the first in a series of three blog post that I planned for you. Just recently, the news media reminded us of Katrina’s anniversary, the hurricane that almost destroy New Orleans. I took all the photos that I am posting today before this horrendous disaster. 

So, what makes New Orleans so different from any other city? My answer is the exceptional blend of cultures that throughout the years molded what New Orleans is today. It is a real melting pot of immigrants from the Caribbean, Europe and Africa that melted with Native Americans to create a unique cultural experience for anyone who visits. There is richness in the language, the architecture, the amazingly friendly people and of course the food. A good example of cultural diversity and tradition is clearly reflected in their most acclaimed event, Mardi Gras.  

Want to experience unique city attractions? Pay a visit to the Cemetery, where coffins are not buried but placed above the ground. Or maybe you want to visit a Voodoo shop. Scary? Yes, but I bet that you will not see these two “tourist attractions” elsewhere. So please, join me in a private tour to one of the best places in the USA, New Orleans.

Located in the heart of Downtown, Old Town represents Scottsdale’s historic legacy as The West’s Most Western Town. It has an abundance of popular restaurants and quaint shops, where I enjoyed seeing plenty of Native American and Southwestern art and jewelry pieces. 5th Avenue is home of the original arts and crafts area, where the famous Bob Parks Horse Fountain is.

 The Waterfront area has an assortment of restaurants, cafes, a bookstore, and unique stores of culinary supplies, which I love. Another attraction that I enjoyed was the Arizona Canal, with pedestrian friendly paths, fountains, an amphitheater and public art.

Scottsdale is a clean and friendly place to visit to appreciate a true western feeling. The landscape, as you can see in my photos, is simply spectacular. I never saw a cactus taller than my home. I also never saw that color-finish type Mercedes Benz, well, since I don’t know anything about cars it looks like a metallic polish stainless steel, smile! So, get your cowboy/cowgirl boots and hats and visit this adorable and unique place.

I was blessed with amazing weather in one of my recent trips, departing from our nation’s capital, Washington, DC. So, I decided to see if I could take some interesting photos out of my camera. Shortly after my departure from Washington Reagan Airport, I was lucky to capture a nice view of the Pentagon from the plane. We all know that after 9/11 there is a flying restriction over a lot of our landmarks in Washington, so I was happy to take this photo even though it was not that close.

As we kept reaching the required airplane high, what happened next was even better. “Mother Nature” offered me an opportunity to capture yet more spectacular photos. I call them, perfection above the clouds, enjoy them!