Road Trip - Day 14 - New Orleans

Day 14 - January 14th - New Orleans

New Orleans was far more spectacular than I had ever dreamed! Nested on the Crescent of the Mouth of the Mississippi River, it boasts of a superb range of historical and modern architecture, with Spanish, French, Creole, and Cajun cultures that seem to have blended extraordinarily well. 

Our hotel was in Westwego, about 20 minutes outside of the Downtown area, so we decided to leave the car docked for the day and get a cab in to the French Quarter. Dominating the area is the St. Louis Cathedral - the oldest R.C. church in the North America, visited by Pope John Paul ll on his second visit to the continent. Jackson Square, which is immediately in front of the cathedral was very interesting, and seemed to be the gathering place of a continual stream of musicians sharing their amazing skills. 

Artists on the Street

We strolled around the French Quarter for a couple of hours visiting the market and taking in a coffee at the famous Cafe Du Monde. 

It seems that there are musicians on every street - and they were incredibly talented. 

From there, we boarded a Cajun Encounter Tour Bus for the City Tour, which lasted for about 3 hours and was well worth every penny. Karen, our host, was not only thoroughly engaging with her knowledge of the area -including the not-so-well-known facts of the places we visited - but she also had a wicked sense of humour. 

The tour took us through the French Quarter and then on to areas that were hit hard during Hurricane Katrina. Many streets had lots that were left vacant after houses came down - and there was still evidence of damage. (Our cab driver told us that his home had 8' of water that destroyed everything and he had to take his house down to the bare minimum to rebuild over the years). Many people left the area to stay with friends and never came back because there was nothing to come back to. 

Roof Damage from Katrina 

One of the most interesting stopping points was one of the above-ground cemeteries. (The famous LaFayette was not on the tour - and it was recommended that if we did visit it, don't do it alone because it has become a venue for crime). These above-ground cemeteries were introduced by the Spanish. Each family has its own tomb, which is willed down the generations. Apparently, upon someone's death, the casket is rolled on to a shelf at the top of the mausoleum. There it stays for a year and a day after which the remains are emptied into the bottom of the mausoleum, making way for the next family member to join them! An interesting concept! The tour finished up with a ride through the Garden District with its mansions and old tramway that still runs unchanged through the decades. 

Wall Cemetery for the poorer folk

We've decided that when we do come back, we'll have to do the Swamp Tour and the Plantations Tour. 

'Romeo and Juliet' Spikes on the Supporting Poles

The architecture here is abundant with old European influence, and we were told that the spikes that can often be seen on the poles supporting the balconies are called 'Romeo and Juliet Spikes'. The reason being...... the old French parents (mostly fathers) wanted to protect their daughters from clandestine visits from male admirers. The spikes were added to remind would-be suitors that they may be Romeo on the way up, but they would become a Juliet on the way down!!! 

The architecture was a sight to behold. We've just included a few pics from the 120 we took of the area!

After dinner, we went to the famous Preservation Hall for a jazz concert - one of the highlights of our visit - (Mark had booked tickets earlier in the day to ensure entry). It was only 40 minutes long, but the ambience gave the listener an insight into the early days of jazz sessions that frequented the area during the birth of this music genre. 

Inside Preservation Hall

So much to do, so much to see. Once again, we realized that we have to come back to do justice to this splendid city. 


Gateway to Freedom 

Happy, Fit, & Free!