I kept seeing references to Joan of Arc all over New Orleans and couldn't figure out why. What did she have to do with New Orleans??? After several days it finally dawned on me... Joan was the "Maid of Orleans" in France. I had one of those ah-ha moments where the light bulb suddenly flashes on and you feel so stupid for not realizing it before. Anyway now I know. On the carriage ride I found out from our tour guide that the gold statue below was originally silver and a gift from France. When Harrah's Casino first opened up in the city they took one nights house winnings and had Joan covered in 24K gold. WOW! The second photo is of a statue of Joan inside the St. Louis Cathedral.
