Exploring New Orleans . . .

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Generally, my travel list of places to visit consists of far off countries. But then there’s a list of cities in North America that I’ve always thought one day I’d get to. Places that are great for long weekends, last minute getaways, the end point of a road trip. When I was told that in order to go to the Triumph, I would have to first spend a month on the Fantasy, the thing that made me excited about this month was the home port being New Orleans. New Orleans is just one of those cities that I really want to see.

I’m at the halfway point of my time here on the Fantasy, but finally today was my chance to get up and get out in the city.

First, there was a matter of business to attend to: I needed to get to a post office to get a money order to mail home. This became quite the adventure. I asked in the mall at the port for where to head, then set off in that direction. From the port, I headed up Canal Street, one of the major streets downtown, lined with lots of tacky tourist shops and electronic stores. I finally reached the street where I was told there’d be a post office. I didn’t see anything. I went into the library there and asked. Yup, there’s one on that street, but about another 6 long blocks away. In the end, it took me almost an hour to find the post office and take care of my business. But the upside is that I got a good look at the Central Business District and various spots in the area - including the Superdome.

Having taken care of that, I headed towards the French Quarter. And where else to start, but the infamous Bourbon Street. I walked the entire length of Bourbon Street. Passed by the bars, the strip clubs and the cheap tourist shops, underneath the balconies of the old buildings. I found the bar that I’d like to stand on their top balcony and toss Mardi Grad beads from. Mardi Gras is still weeks away, but the city is getting ready: bleachers being set up along the parade route, decorations hanging on the buildings. I’m going to miss the big event by a couple weeks, but it’s nice to see the prep work!

At the far end of Bourbon Street, the touristy spots suddenly stop and it becomes a quaint residential street. It was really lovely. The houses are so pretty. Then when I reached the end, I wandered my way down The Esplanade, a long wide street with a park-like median running along it’s centre. The houses on the street are so typically old Southern homes: high ceilings, big balconies, ceiling fans on the porches. I could just imagine the Southern folk in the summertime sitting on the balconies sipping their drinks. Loved it.

I zigzagged my way through more of the old streets. Walked around Jackson Square where artists and buskers were set up. Visited one of New Orleans famous spots, Café du Monde, to have some beignets (doughnut like pastries covered in icing sugar). Then I strolled along the Mississippi back to the Fantasy.

It wasn’t a big, exciting day. But I loved it. I got to see somewhere new and somewhere I’ve always to see. That’s always exciting.

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Photos

Street Art
Like in Toronto, how we have the paint moose all over the city, here you see painted streetcars.