[originaltext]M: Hi, Shelly! How was your vacation?W: Great! I went to New Orl

M: Hi, Shelly! How was your vacation?
W: Great! I went to New Orleans.
M: Really? Why did you decide to go there?
W: Well, I have a cousin who lives there. She’s been trying to get me to take a vacation down there for a long time, and so finally, she talked me into it.
M: How did you get there?
W: Well, at first 1 was going to drive, but my cousin said parking is a big problem there, so I flew. Once I was there, I took buses and taxis.
M: I’ve seen some pictures of New Orleans--the architecture there is really interesting, isn’t it?
W: Yeah, it’s incredible, especially in the French Quarter and in the Garden District where my cousin lives. And I love the spicy food there, and the music, of course. My cousin took me to some great little restaurants and jazz clubs.
M: How was the weather when you were there?
W: That’s the only thing I didn’t enjoy. It was really hot and sticky.
M: Wasn’t New Orleans originally a French city?
W: Yes, the French founded it. And then the king of France gave it to the king of Spain, and later the French took it over again. And then the French sold it to the United States along with the rest of the Louisiana Purchase.
M: I remember reading in a history book about the battle of New Orleans. That was during the War of 1812, wasn’t it?
W: Right. The Americans under Andrew Jackson fought a battle with the British near there. In fact, Jackson Square in the French Quarter is named after him.
M: Well, it sure sounds like you had a great time.
W: Oh, I sure did. And I plan to go back there next spring for my birthday.