Tonight We Were the Best 6-30-2008

Tonight we were the best!
Starting with Café du Monde this morning, having walked there from the hotel, we had beignets and café or hot chocolate- very filling- then we wandered to the Café store and on further to the flea market. We all found lots of vendors ready, willing, and able to take our money for their wonderful wares and came back with heavy bags and things to share with one another. After a few hours shopping, we were ready to head out to the Court of the Two Sisters for brunch BUT the RAIN started, which put a hold on our adventure. We are easy, so we sat and talked and in a few minutes the rain had passed so we wandered once again out of the flea market and into the heart of the French Quarter to a gourmet brunch with accompanying jazz trio. Food was very good and plentiful, buffet style, and while there we shared our secret singer gifts. Some thoughtful and fun things were given to the person who had been sending us clues all week.
After sharing gifts and taking photos, we then headed back to Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral for a sound check and line up for tonight’s concert. That took 2 hours after which we returned home to change for the evening. Buses took us back to the cathedral and the concert which was so spectacular that we will all be buying the CD from tonight’s performance. The choirs performed Paul Caldwell’s composition written for this festival and this combined choir, which debuted tonight; he had a standing ovation and they performed it again for the encore.
After the overwhelming successful concert, all the choirs went on a river boat cruise on the Natchez paddle wheel boat. Dinner and lots of dancing kept all the kids (all 200 or so of them) busy and energized, so that when we arrived home late tonight, they were sent straight to their rooms to pack and get ready to head home tomorrow.
This had been a wonderful experience for all of us and we have learned a lot about ourselves, each other, and New Orleans. Tomorrow we get to tour of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina so we will leave New Orleans with a greater respect for what these warm and friendly people suffered.
Everyone is looking forward to getting home and seeing family very soon.