NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANNA

Pete is enchanted by New Orleans!



One of the many buskers

Now can I continue? Our hotel is right on Bourbon Street, Four Points by Sheraton. We made reservations online the night before. Arrived about 2 hours before our room was ready so checked in and took care of our luggage and car and off we went. Well, I was not doing too well with the walking after all of the sitting and it was probably 88 degrees with 98% humidity. We did go to the Jackson Street Park and saw the paddle wheel take off. Got back, our room was just ready and a very nice one. That evening Pete went out and tried to get me up on my feet to see the crowds on the streets.

We took an excellent City Tour the next day with a wonderful, knowledgeable guide - John. John had the most cajun accent and we all loved it. I appreciated him pointing out different signs left from Katrina and relating his own experiences. We saw several different neighborhoods which are making a come back with people fixing up their homes. Saw lines on signs showing the height of the water also chalk notes on houses. We saw the French Quarter, the Garden District, the French market and, Pete’s favorite the cemetery. It was interesting, of course, all burials are above ground because the water table is so close and if there is a flood or a good rain, the caskets would rise. Most of the “tombs” are elaborate and most, that we saw, are very old. We were told that a tomb has two shelves. The body is put in the upper chamber for 1 year and 1day and then is taken out and the bones and dust is put in an urn leaving the tomb free to be used again. Voila! Resurrection. We weren’t allowed to step on the grass because we might or would get bitten by fire ants.

Yes, we did see the Harry Connick Music Town and the home that Nicolas Cage recently managed to sell. We ate beignets and drank iced coffee and suffered from the heat during the day. The evening was very nice. By the way, there is a definite smell to New Orleans but I did see the city workers using a pressure washer with disinfectant cleaning the inside of the stinky garbage cans which were ever present on the streets.

No, we can’t move on without talking about the food. I have eaten more fried foods on this trip than I have in years and years and it was GOOD. Oysters, fish, shrimp and crab. Yum.

We did go out after dinner and walked Bourbon Street along with many many other people looking at people and those who were asking to be looked at. Buskers painted and posing, playing all sorts of instruments. Hawkers trying to get us in to the Barely Legal night club and live Music inside every establishment competing with one another. Bourbon Street is closed to traffic and people set up shows. In front of our hotel a very popular show with two young men doing break dancing. Drew a big crowd.


We enjoyed our New Orleans adventure and are impressed with the friendliness of the people.
We left early the next morning.