This building was first constructed in 1718 as a meager, lowly church of Saint Louis. Initially named after a saint, this structure was finally lifted to the rank of cathedral only after it adopted the name of a famous French King of the time *Wink Wink*. On its third completion in 1789,  the Basilica of Saint Louis stood as a monument to the catholic faith and the center of Catholicism in the New World.  However, after  Napoleon decided that Louisiana and French holdings in America should be used for domination of Europe, the United States adopted the church in New Orleans and put it…. under new management.  Fast forward 230 years later to the first time that I had visited New Orleans and this beautiful church; It hadn’t changed a bit. Although there was vomit practically everywhere and drunks littered the street, the essence of such a beautiful building still reigned as a majestic sight and easily the most captivating site in the French quarter. While it was not my intention to gaze upon such a grand example of architecture, I had little choice in the matter. My entourage saw it befitting to go celebrate the Sooners throttling of the Auburn tigers in that years Sugar Bowl, I elected not to get drunk and make a fool out off myself, but rather, take in the sites and delve as deeply as I could into the culture of the big easy. I made my way over to the courtyard that held this particular cathedral and threw rocks into the putrid smelling bay the borders the French quarter. Once I was content with tiring myself out and   couldn’t find rocks that were suited for that venture, I turned to see the light glider off saint Louis at just the right time, however, may attempts to capture such a motivating sight were to no avail and were fruitless to say the least. I sat there for over an hour taking in every bit of the cathedral and pondering at its majesty amongst the more fowl smelling and degenerate buildings that surrounded it.