New Orleans

So, that's the end of the Rally: One $160 ticket, One southern cop hassling us, Two firetrucks called to our various parties, 14 stiches on a canadian, One motel manager fired for threatening us with a gun for no reason, Two girls with carbon monoxide poisoning(maybe), one vomiting Vanity Fair reporter (hilarious), and one voluntary group destruction of a car. :( Man it's only been a few days, but I'm really missing it already!!
To update:
We stayed in New Orleans for another day after the rally ended. We got a tour to see the city and it was well worth it. If you ever find yourself in New Orleans and looking for a tour guide you have to call 'Celebration Tours' and ask for Oz. He's absolutely wonderful and very informative. He really gave us an overview of the whole city, its crazy history, and present state. We saw Katrina damage and the fight to get homes back up. We heard what really went down and how the media and government skewed what was happening (no- it still sucked but there's a lot I didn't know about how and why). And we got a positive look at some of the projects that are in place to rise from the wreckage with better and safer homes. It's still a long way off until everyone is home and the threat of flooding again is ever present until the 'levee's' (we saw them and it's a joke) are fixed. A lot of the city is really rough right now because of the poverty and destruction that took place, but Oz assured us that it was the same in every city. That "there's always places you don't go or that I wouldn't walk into. It's the same everywhere". From the look of it I think Oz is a bit in love with his city and a bit optimistic, but he did show us that there it's not all run down even in the destroyed parts. Signs read "roots run deep here" etc... amidst construction and fema trailers. The lower ninth ward is littered with clean lots that boast only the front steps of what was once a row of houses. It really is coming along. You can tell people are committed to rebuilding their neighborhoods. Then we toured the pretty areas in the garden district, esplanade?, jackson square, etc... We even went to a local bar by the water to grab some drinks for the rest of the tour. Very cool!
At the end of the tour Oz dropped us off in Jackson square so we could get some food. We found a little cajun/creole place right off the square that was all open air in a cozy cafe' way. We drank sangria and watched the artists peddle their goods and then got our first sample of authentic creole food...yeah, even with being a vegetarian! They had a spicy vegetable pasta with red sauce that was amazing! It really didn't feel like we were in America at all when we were sitting there, but it was and it is! You must visit. Later we walked around listening to more wonderful live music...Steamboat willie is incredible!!!....and visiting little shops lining the streets. The voodoo ones were cool, but I was a bit disappointed how expensive it is to get your palm read! I thought it would be so spooky and fun, but ah well! Ha ha. Probably for the best.
Later that evening we met back up with the Canadians (they decided to stay as well) and had a ridiculous evening in the quarter once again. I didn't want the day to end. The next morning we stopped by the famous Cafe' Du Monde for some chicory coffee and beignets once again and then sadly left this amazing city for home...finally. It was an amazing adventure and I'm so amazed it's over! I will truly never forget it.
Quick side note. Oz made a comment while on the tour and I want to fulfill my side of the conversation. He said, "We're not like Vegas here. We don't want 'what happens here to stay here'. We want you to go home and tell people it's not bad here. That we have fun and it's beautiful and we help you forget your worries and your cares for a while. We need people to remember that." I agreed with him whole heartedly and that's why I felt the need to add this last little bit. Go visit New Orleans and let them woo you with their charm. Forget your cares for a bit and cozy up in a little cafe and dream away with the heat and live music. Eat some spicy food, buy a hurricane, and wander down the streets sipping and staring at the beautiful architecture. Throw a dollar to a musician, buy a piece of art, talk to a local and try to figure out what they're actually saying. Then go straight home and tell someone else to do the same. Cheers.