Everything closed in the city so I headed south, out to the swamps. Went walking in the National Park alongside the bayous but didn`t see any alligators. Apparently there were plenty about. Driving back to the city went through some neighbourhoods worst affected by Katrina. Row after row of abandoned buildings in various states of collapse. All marked with spray painted indicating how many bodies were found there. It`s as if the hurricane was last month. So much still to clear.

Miles driven: 75

Today is the busiest day on the roads in the USA sue to the holiday tomorrow, so I spent the day on the sidewalks of the city. After a rather unpleasant breakfast in the hotel, Americans can`t do breakfast, walked up to the French quarter. The whole of Louisiana was at various times controlled by the French, Spanish and British, before Napoleon got fed up with the whole place and sold it to the new American colony for 15 million dollars. Quite a deal as Louisiana at the time spread all the way to Oregon. The museum is in the building where the transfer was signed. The French quarter is the oldest part of the city and was relatively unscathed by Katrina, being one of the few parts of the city to actually be above sea level. It has some wonderful old buildings. Spent ages in the square just people watching.

Spent the morning looking around the capital building. It`s got a wonderful balcony on the 27th floor which gives a panoramic view over Baton Rouge. The city feels very relaxed, not at all like it`s the capital of a state. This afternoon I followed the river, though plantations galore, into New Orleans, which has a much edgier feel. Hotel is right in the centre of the city. It doesn`t seem possible that only 14 months ago it was all under water.