The Daily Cruise. Southern Architecture Runs the Gamut. Buffalo Soldiers at the Park.

A very warm March Wednesday, it was 80 here in town and it made for a perfect day to get out and further explore the neighborhood. This is the 13th Ward of New Orleans and like most of the Wards suffered flood damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. That storm has fueled the revitalization of the area and progress, though slow, remains steady to this day.

I headed West today on Loyola Avenue towards Loyola and Tulane Universities and Audubon Park. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse when I continue to refer to the variety of homes in the area. Within 12 blocks you see abandoned houses, mini-mansions and mansions. Just two blocks away was this remnant of Katrina, a double shotgun house.

Another two blocks found this remodeled shotgun house.

Called "Shotgun" house because, according to Wikipedia, if you opened all the internal doors, you could fire a shotgun and all the pellets would go right out the back door. All the internal rooms are in a row and just separated by doors. I looked at a couple of these thru VRBO but decided that with the layout being what it was they weren't conducive to having company while staying here.

Another block and I walked by the Valence Cemetery. It's well taken care of compared to the Lafayette Cemetery No. 2 that I passed by on my first days walk here. You can see the raised tombs that New Orleans is known for since the water table is so high here.

On the next block I found this nice home. Notice the blossoms on the tree. It's SPRING HERE!

And this one. Pretty amazing turnaround no? I feel like I'm writing for Architectural Digest.

Three blocks on is Loyola University, a Jesuit university founded in 1911. This is the main administration building.

Walk across St. Charles Blvd and you enter Audubon Park. It's 300 plus acres on the site of a plantation and formally know as Greenville. Greenville was also known as the home of the "Buffalo Soldiers" 9th Calvary. There's a plaque detailing their historical accomplishments near this entrance. Here's a shot of the entrance pavilion.

There's a golf course, zoo and gardens. I'll visit the southern part of the park along with this end of the Mississippi River trail on another day.

And finally a shot of one of the famed St. Charles trolleys. It's been going since 1835 and these cars are from the 20's.

The weather's changing here tomorrow morning. Temps are dropping to the low 50's and hi 40's for the next few days along with rain on Thursday. Sounds like I need to find some indoor activities for a day or so.

Les bon temps roule!