The Big Easy

We spent the weekend in New Orleans. We both loved it there. We stayed in the Avenue Gardens Hotel which was what looked like an old house in the garden district converted into a hotel. Lydia and Melissa the new owners were nice people and very helpful. There was air conditioning and the shower was hot and clean so that was really all we cared about. We both needed a shower upon arrival and we felt much better afterwards. We did a lot of walking which explains the blisters on our feet. There is so much to see that we will need to go back because Friday through Sunday just was not enough. My favorite thing we saw was probably the above ground cemetery. The Mausoleums were so old and picturesque. We learned a bit about voodoo while visiting these gravesites, which was an interesting insight into some of the culture that exists here. Almost everywhere we poked our heads into had live music, which was such a treat. When rain pushed us under an awning it was strange to hear techno music and have a bartender shout at you to get a drink at noon. Then we discovered that on Bourbon Street there isn’t so much a happy hour as there is a happy day. The happy hour lasts from noon to 9 p.m. You can also drink on the street. Coming from a dry county this was a bit of culture shock. We rode the cable streetcar from the garden district down to the French Quarter. After riding the car the entire length of the track because we accidentally got on the wrong side of the street. So, we had to ride the car to the end of the line, get out and pay again to go in the right direction. This side trip was not bad at all though because we got a chance to see how pretty the houses are and how nice some of New Orleans really is. If I could live in one of those old downtown houses in the nice part of town I could see myself living there for sure. We walked down the entire garden district and had awesome nachos at mama nachos where there were 2 for 1 margaritas! I think we would have enjoyed the whole experience more if there were not crazy thunderstorms and heavy rainfall while we were there. Luckily we had our rain jackets, but my poor dress was soaked through and through, so much that I could ring it out. But since we were already so wet we didn’t feel obligated to hide under the awnings all day like most of the other people. We just assumed we are already soaked so we might as well walk around and enjoy the city, which we did. The French market was interesting but I had hoped for more hand crafted things as was probably the case in the good ole’ days. In a way it was like a bigger Myrtle Beach with more history and neater architecture. We did talk with a man in one of the shops that lost everything in Katrina. He had such a positive perspective about loosing everything allowing him to really see that big picture and what is truly important. He said he saw those qualities in me and I hope he is right. It was really nice talking with him and hearing his story, although parts of it were heartbreaking for sure. Without a doubt New Orleans is quite a mix of culture and people. I would love to come back and see a band we like or come to jazz-fest - which made me think of Jay and Shelly, I can see why you love this place. Sunday morning before we checked out of the hotel we thought it only appropriate to go to a gospel church in the downtown garden district. We were probably the only two white people there and I am not sure what our neighbors thought of us until we hugged them and then it was nothing but clapping and smiling. There were all sorts of hallelujah and praise Jesus – I loved it. The people were really welcoming and I just loved hearing the whole congregation sing, there is just something about singing in a group that is awesome. It was time for us to say goodbye to the Big Easy but I am pretty sure we will be back. We took the southern route out of town to travel along the bayou byway where we saw another alligator and a blue heron. We stopped at a hole in the wall place – Rita Mae’s Café for an authentic Louisiana lunch. One of the only other customers in there was the nephew of the owner. He was really nice and we talked with him the entire time we ate, about traveling and home and anything else. His accent was pretty thick in Cajun country but (as Brad said) I am sure he thinks the same about us crazy travelin’ white folk. We are back on the road headed for Texas.