New Orleans

Day 17 – Wednesday

'Where y’at' (gooday, howdy) – NOLA style

NOLA- New Orleans Louisiana or as the locals say – Nuorlins with the emphasis on OR.

We arrived in NO(New Orleans) relatively stress free – that’s from my point of view -little different for Mez with her anxiety over the towering bridges and the downtown traffic. Returned the car and started the journey of NO. Walked along Canal Street then stumbled upon(not literally as it was a bit early in day for intoxication although Mez could of done with a drink after the drive) Bourbon Street, the tourist strip. Although, as we were quick to find out it is the street to avoid to see the true spirit of this fabulous city.

Canal Street

Our hotel is on Orleans Street just around the corner from Bourbon and is in the middle of the French Quarter- a wonderful location to explore from.

The only thing missing in our hotel was a refrigerator so we created out own. All hotels over here have ice machines on each floor level so we got one of the small waste paper bins filled it with ice for our milk and yoghurt as each day we start the day with a healthy breakfast. the diet does go down hill from there on occasions but we are trying to be healthy.

Just around the corner from our hotel. A very typical building in the French Quarter and the mode of transport around this district

And exploring we did.  

But before you do anything you have to have your first drink (complimentary by hotel). A ginger cocktail put in a bronze tin cup. 

 

In our usual fashion, in the hottest part of the day and on foot we walked and walked and walked. We did catch one street car back to the French Market, Mez bought just one more T shirt, going to need another suitcase at this rate to bring back the collection.

The great Mississippi River - still a very big working river and tourist attraction with the paddlewheelers effortlessly cruising by.

Busy day decided to have an early night after dinner out on the town. As usual this was not to be and called into a bar in Pirate’s Alley next to hotel. Met a local named Keith, a learned man and proceeded to drink the night away while ingesting as much local knowledge as possible – a must visit when your next in NO.

The Pirate's Bar and Keith

Day 18 – Thursday

As we do with most cities we visit for more than 2 days we take a tour on a hop on hop off bus. The one we chose took about one and a half hours and was very informative and a took us to all neighbourhoods and attractions.

Joan of Arc - Maid of Orleans 

The Superdome where many thousands were forced to stay when Katrina hit town. 

The other face of NO where Katrina did most of her damage. Lots of buildings still left derelict. The French Quarter is built on the only high part of the city and except for some roof damage most of it was saved. Devine intervention! maybe as New Orleans' cannot survive without tourism.  

A local doing it tough forging out a living by pushing his van to another location right down the middle of Canal Street

We did start the journey with a massive thunderstorm just as the bus was about to leave and although the upstairs was covered with a tarp like frame everyone got rather soaked but in the heat of NO that is a welcome relief.

Not the most flattering photo - sitting on the hop on hop off bus getting wet

Decided in our wisdom to post some things home to lighten the load as we had  done in England. We packaged and trecked to the quaintest postal office, only to find out in USA the cost is 6 times that of England so back to the drawing board. 

Postal service NO style

Visited the Old Blacksmith Pub(oldest pub in USA) as you do on a hot day and had a frozen voodoo daiquiri ‘to go’. To go means that when you buy a drink in NO you are usually given it in a plastic cup or asked is it ‘to go’- as everywhere you look there are people walking down the streets with all kinds of concoctions in all weird and wonderful shaped vessels.

Nightime entertainment was at the hotel bar listening to a very good jazz singer by the name of Eudora Evans. NO is the land of music – on every street corner and in most restaurants and bars there is someone to entertain you. There is just so much happening all the time that you feel exhausted just keeping up.

One of the many street performers that put the music into NO

Day 19 – Friday

Another day of hot temperatures and sightseeing. Spent some time looking at the many art shops in the French Quarter and the French Market District and you guessed it Mez bought another T shirt.

Another way of making a living in NO by being a mime.

Look closely and you might see to grown women being kids.

On local information the place to go is Frenchmen Street where the locals hang out in the many bars where you will hear true Jazz. Had dinner at Snug Harbour, on recommendation and food very good.

Mez looking at art work at a small art market across the road from dinner at Snug Harbour

Place was starting to pack out so headed back along the way passed the Blacksmith Pub and of course a few bourbons listening to the piano man tinkle the ivories.

Day20 – Saturday

Last day in one of the must see cities of the world, in my opinion. Got a bit more cultured today but must admit feeling slightly under the weather all this partying is taking its toll. Visited St Louis Cathedral and the Louisiana State Museum.

 

Upstairs at the museum there was a whole floor set aside on the history of the Madi Gras and its positive impact on the economy of NO. Its a massive festival that attracts over a million visitors each year, it goes for 12 days including 87 parades, kicks off 59 days before Easter and people on floats toss 1.5 million plastic cups, 2.5 million doubloons(badges that signify your float) and 200 thousand beads.

The Cathedral is a lovely building not over the top and gaudy as some. It was made into a Basilica by Pope John Paul V1.

The Museum has devoted a massive section to the Hurricane Katrina and the massive impact on the people and the environment then and now. It was so unique in its presentation as well as being so informative and touching to see the heartbreak and devastation but more importantly the resilience of the Southern Americans.

More shopping.

Had our last Cajun Dinner then went to see the frivolities of Bourbon Street – can’t come to NO without one visit to the famous street.

One of the many faces of Bourbon street - this reveller was in the middle of a 4 way(intersection) directing traffic and people. Of a night Bourbon Street is closed to traffic and you can only drive across at certain streets.

And you can’t come to Bourbon Street and not have at least one bourbon and tonight it was just that – one bourbon, be it a double, at the Jazz Maison Bar listening to an old time jazz band with all members hitting the geriatric stage – wonderful mussos. We had a seat at the window or gap where there should have been a window and watched the procession of hundreds of revellers.

Mez at our last stop in NO with jazz playing in the background.

 There is a tradition in NO, stemming from many eras past, of throwing strings of beads in the colours of Madi Gras – gold, purples and green from the balconies of the houses lining the streets. And tonight we walked home with strings of beads looking very much a part of New Orleans.

Looking like dorks but as they say when in Rome in this case when in Nuorlins.

Had a great time.

Loved every minute.