We travelled to New Orleans from our nearest regional airport at Columbia. A rather small, friendly place, with about three staff. We flew via Memphis, staying just long enough to explore the Elvis shop and eat a sandwich. As we approached New Orleans, the land beneath us became swamp, with trees in water for miles, looking very 'Everglades'. When we got off the plane we realised we had brought the wrong clothes- it was hotter and more humid than anticipated.
We took a taxi to our hotel in the French Quarter, passing by the skyscrapers of the modern business district. Suddenly the scale of buildings drops and you enter old New Orleans. First impression? This is not America. It is a combination of Spain and southern France. What I imagine Cuba might have been like in it's hey day.
It is noisy, dirty and full of people and they are walking! My sort of town. Although it is overcast, it is the perfect temperature for walking around. The houses are lovely, beautiful cast iron balconies, some overflowing with ferns and still with Christmas decorations. Some of these were taken later- hence the blue sky.
There is quite a variety in the iron work.
Houses go from single storey cottages to three storey houses.
This one has it's impressive front door on the first floor, with the storage area underneath.
At the centre of the Quarter is the rather grand Jackson Square, with Jackson himself, triumphant in the middle. The cathedral is a touch Disney, but makes a good backdrop.
The terraced houses lining this square are very fine. In fact there are a lot of fine houses here. I thought the area would be much more down market.
There is a huge amount of it. I thought there would only be a small area of old buildings, but it goes on and on, far beyond the French Quarter. It is incredible that it is all of a piece. No modern buildings at all. Fantastic. We spend the first day just walking round with our heads up, looking and getting a stiff neck.
The place is buzzing in the central streets, particularly the famous Bourbon Street. It is New Years Eve, the Saints have their last match of the season on sunday, and the Sugarbowl (college football) is on tuesday. People are here for all three events.
Mind you, I don't think this place needs an excuse to party, it seems to be in permanent have a good time mode. We like it- a lot. It feels alive. There are restaurants everywhere, kitchen refuse spilling out the back doors, where waiters are getting pre-dinner pep talks. Lots of one off shops, not chains. No Starbucks or the like. Music inside and out. Life as it should be.
A lot of the street music is very good.
This lady could sing and play the clarinet- fantastic at both.
This group had a man tap dancing as part of the music and a little kid just couldn't stop dancing along with him. The music is very infectious and it is difficult to stand still.
I could live here. What a shame Fulbright don't do visiting positions here. No such luck.
We enter into the spirit of things- literally and visit the voodoo museum and learn that the Catholic church is closely connected to voodoo here. Didn't know that.
New Years Eve is turning out misty and hot. I manage to have a swim in the outside pool on top of the hotel. There is a mist over the Mississippi.
The air is blowing hot and cold alternately. The weather is on the turn. Up on the hotel roof the feel is stormy.
We actually eat our meal outside at a very nice little restaurant and then go up to the hotel roof again to see fireworks over the river at midnight. Do people dress up? Not really. A few women look slightly smarter than normal and totter around in silly heels, but all the men go for the usual T shirt look.
Roland decides to fit in by going for the shirt I've worn all day with the 20 year old fleece look!!!!
Me, slightly dressed up showing the scraggy neck of the ageing woman!
Bourbon street- the grot part of the Quarter- strip joints, bars and loud music is packed with people. Here you can drink alcohol on the streets, but it has to be in a plastic or aluminium container. The local bars sell drinks in luminous green plastic containers that look like grenades. People appear to be drinking huge amounts, but it is all very jolly. It's a mix of Camden Town and Soho.
The balconies are heaving and you hope that they can cope with the weight. There is a tradition of throwing necklaces in bright colours to the people below and the idea is to get as many as you can. They are gaudy and shiny and some people have done rather well.
We haven't stayed up so late for ages! It seems a world away from Fulton!
Breakfast is great fun, cooked in front of you and served at long marble bars. I try grits, which is like runny tapioca. Can't say I can see the attraction. It's edible, but I think that's about all you can say about it. I watch other people lap it up. Mind you, they don't just eat it on it's own. Tabasco helps.
Lunch we go to oyster bars and have oysters and blackened alligator and such things. The latter is very meaty. They do oysters raw and cooked in all sorts of ways-yum.
In all these places there is also a performance going on. A banter of good humour between customers, waiters and cooks. It's a sort of game and very entertaining.
We come across a costumier, who is producing costumes for Mardi Gras, not far off now. They are very relaxed about it all and say we can go through to the warehouse out back and look at all the costumes and try them on if we want. So we do.
On the first day of the new year the temperature drops and it's cold again. It's sunny though, so we get a different look to the place. I like it both ways.
There is a museum of Louisiana history, which is good and an exhibition about Katrina and the aftermath, which is very interesting. There is no evidence of damage where we are. There is a civil war museum, which unfortunately is shut. It is very much from the South's perspective- unashamedly and would have been interesting.
On sunday we visit the Garden District. The Hampstead of New Orleans, only the houses and gardens are bigger. We travel by tram. Trams provide a little thrill to the ageing man, but not as good as trains.
This district is also large and full of beautiful houses set in gardens with lovely trees and quiet streets. Magical.
Some of these are very grand. An indication of the wealth around at that time.
A certain 'Gone with the Wind' touch to some of them.
This suburb has one of the famous cemeteries, which we get a peek at. They are closed for the holiday-unfortunately.
Most of the trees we have seen, which are large and very wide spreading, are southern live oaks. They have little ferns growing all along their branches.
I think the highlight of the visit was to Preservation Hall.
This is the most famous venue in New Orleans and not really a hall, more a room. It is small and shabby. You sit on thin wooden benches. There is no food or drink and no loos, just the room, the performers and the audience.
We got a man called Glen David Andrews and his band and he was sensational. He played the trombone, sang and led the band and just gave it everything. He had the audience bouncing round the room and doing just what he wanted. I don't think I've ever seen such a gifted and natural performer and he was enjoying it. The band were brilliant too. $12 for two hours of sheer entertainment. We came out with grins on our faces, feeling we had really experienced something special, we just felt like dancing down the street. Difficult to put into words, but that was worth coming to America for.
Back in Fulton to find we missed the tornado, not that far from here, which killed 7 people. Apparently the siren was going off for a long time and the wind was incredible. No doubt there will be others. Hopefully without fatalities.
Also back to reality with the shooting of the Congress woman in Arizona. Sadly, one who sounded just the sort of person you want in politics. With all the the talk of why on the radio, not one mention of gun law. Interesting. It's just not seen as an issue.
I took so many photos, I'll just have to leave you with a couple more
Note the message- Peace yall!
Happy New Year again.
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