Getting Around New Orleans

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There were 10 of us in a family group on the morning of our visit to New Orleans, so my brother-in-law, Claude, arranged for a private limousine from Regal Limousine Service to take us around to see some of the sights. With a group this size it was about as cheap as talking a bus tour, and also more flexible - and more fun.

Our driver was a very personable young man who was eager to please. He showed us a few of the more popular tourist sites, and then took us into some of the parts of New Orleans that were worst hit by Hurricane Katrina. It was great to have a knowledgeable local man to show us his city and explain many of the things that we could never have seen or known without his help.

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New Orleans is the second largest port in the USA, so it didn't surprise me that when I spied operations continuing at the docks downriver from the city. New Orleans certainly must handle most of the grain transfer from Midwest barges sailing south into the world's ocean distribution system. So, if port operations were reduced, deliveries of foods to factories and nations abroad could be a serious economic disturbance. Besides the bino view of the port, I also noticed a line up of barges on the Mississippi and a grain transfer to sea going bulk cargo vessels, similar to the ones that come to port in my hometown of Stockton, CA. But, several ships were being serviced at once. I didn't spy the container operations, but I assume that New Orleans also brings in its share of Chinese goods via the Panama Canal, transferring them to trains destine north toward St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, and elsewhere in the south and midwest.

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New Orleans is a port, which, in addition to freight coming in and going up and down the Mississippi, also hosts cruise ships.

If you're looking for ALTERNATIVE transportation, just kick back in a shopping cart, get your camcorder ready, and hire a local to push you around!!