Donna went to New Orleans for training

It was my first trip ever to New Orleans and it was with the firm's national training. This meant that I didn't get to see much of N'awlins other than the trip to and from the airport and the short walk across the street to check out Harrah's. I didn't know what N'awlins was like before Katrina but a year since the hurricanes, it felt like a dilapidated and semi-abandoned place. I saw very few people walking around but we did stay in a touristy part of town. Still, in the hot sticky humidity, the place felt rather empty.

My room's view of the Mississippi


For the entertainment portion of the training, the firm hired bands and various Mardi Gras type festivities to parade with us down the street! They closed off the streets and hundreds of us walked down with our beads and the music blaring.


At the restaurant/bar place that I don't know the name of, they had a jazz/blues band that was very good.


Also, the food (buffet food at a number of stations) was sooooo good. Truly cajun! There was the best jambalaya I've ever had, some cajun pasta, roast turkey/pork loin, fried catfish, coconut jumbo shrimp... ohhh it was so good! :) They gave us such small plates so I had to make 2-3 trips to buffet stations! Also, the catfish and the shrimp were on platters that the waiters went around with so we basically stalked them.