This was a really wonderful tour, thanks to our guide Ozzy Jr. He is a New Orleans native who has joined the tour guide gig with his father. Ozzy's explanations were clear and interesting, and he answered questions in an engaging way that made the trip really enjoyable. We ended up feeling like we had made a new friend.
We started with a slow, thorough drive through the French Quarter, reviewing the architecture and history. Then we went through City Park, which looked beautiful, and on to Katrina sights: the lower 9th, Lake Pontchartrain strangely obscured by fog and the 21st street canal, which gave way during the storm. Ozzy clarified a lot about how the storm was so devastating, and why the lower 9th, which got only 4 feet of water, ended up worse off than the area right by 21st street, which got 10 feet.
We also spent some time at the fascinating Metairie Cemetary, finding out about the unique ovens used for burial in this hot, swampy climate. Our trip back towards downtown took us through the plush Garden neighborhood, filled with lovely houses.
This trip is a great way to start a stay in New Orleans! There is so much more to this town than Bourbon Street. And Ozzy has a million great recommendations about sights, restaurants, music and all the rest!