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Published: August 5th 2007
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After a few loose turns of the wheel which led us into the leafy suburbs around Jackson, Mississippi, we headed South to Louisianna and the city of New Orleans. After a check of our roadmap, we decided to enter NO via Baton Rouge and then cross the Pontchartrain Causeway, a 20 mile long road crossing a bit like the roads to Key West (roads on stilts), which was a pretty cool ride to drive over.
After a few heavy days on the road, we decided we needed a break from the car and spend a couple of nights for R&R. We werent really sure about stopping at all in New Orleans given the mass devastation and loss of life incurred by Hurricane Katrina's visit two years ago but from entering the city all through to the city centre, we struggled to see and visible evidence of the catastrophe and it appears to the day that the French Quarter - NO's main social/tourist hub - remained relatively unscathed.
Now, Trung and I are already feeling that driving a pretty nice car through America is a bit too comfortable to be classed as "backpacking" and in NO, we have well and truely sold out as "backpackers" by checking into the Holiday Inn for some relative comfort and valuable peace of mind that there's less chance of our motel room door being kicked in during the middle of the night by some desperate jakey or scarey hobo. So we did it, our first "reward" as a treat for handling the the rough rigours of life travelling across the US. Things can be tough on the road you know! ; )
Anyway, after checking in, we took a walk of the French Quarter and I have to say, I was really taken by the area. It really is classically beautiful once you get off the beaten track. I loved the quaint side streets and sleepy candle lit bars. The architecture is attractive too with the majority of the short, terraced buildings displaying cast iron French-style balconies and cascading plants and the odd rocking chair. Hard to describe in words so check out the pics.
The other cool thing about staying in the French Quarter is that we are a block away from Bourbon Street which I nominate as being up there with the best party streets in the World. Its only
about 500 yrds long but every balconied building houses some sort of tourist treat or other. Blues and jazz bars (playing awesome authentic live sets) next to rock bars and clubs and plush restaurants saddled crammed in next to drinking bars selling the indiginously strong Absinthe and New Orleans' own Daquiries and Grenades. There were also numerous unabashed strip joints/"Cabarets" in amongst this crazy eclectic stramash of neon lights which is strange to take in to say the least.
During the days, Trung and I headed our seperate ways to explore the city. I ventured further into the French Quarter to check out those amazing buildings I mentioned, then walked to the Mississippi to visit 'Ol Muddy. When I remembered that "A Streetcar Named Desire" had been set in New Orlean's, I had to take a tram/"Streetcar" back to the city and it was one of the best $1.25 I've spent so far in the US. It was a nice feeling to travel with the localson the old rickety tram cars and I was actually charmed (as only a tourist could be rally!) when the old thing broke down en route and we were asked to change cars. I
realised then that I had been totally seduced by NO and it has easily become my favourite town in the US so far.
So after a couple of heavy nights, we got back in The Beast and decided to leave this wonderful town of New Orleans and head off West to Texas. We even had a lizard waiting for us on the roof of the car when set off from the hotel which scared the life out of the car park attendant as he was still hanging on once we'd driven round to pay. By the way, did I mention how hot it is here? Its 38c during the day and 28c at midnight! Ouch!
Anyway, we headed to Dallas along with our new friend and left with a great impression of NO. We later found out that most of the destruction and tragedy brought in 2005 happened in the poorer suburban areas of the city and we left with a hope that things are getting better for the people of New Orleans who still remain affected by Katrina's visit to the day.
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