The Crescent City

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So I drove down to New Orleans. It was a pretty uneventful drive. Straight, flat road. Then I got excited when I knew I was crossing Lake Pontchartrain. I knew it was big, but it's BIG when you are driving over it. So I get into the city and get to the hotel. I'm staying at the Wyndham St Charles Plaza. It's right on St Charles Ave in Uptown. Anyway, the room is smaller than I'm used to but enough for my needs since I'm solo on this trip. Miss Leah. Wish someone else would have gone with me. So the place has a pool, hot tub, fitness center, and an activity room. I speak to the concierge and she tells me about things to do and how to do them.



1. The Garden District-Not too far from the hotel, I enter the world of New Orleans mansions. This is where the likes of Sandra Bullock and Archie Manning make their homes. I see some of Anne Rice's homes as well. I basically walked around several blocks just looking at houses. The architecture is great. There are some that are Greek Revival. There are some that are Spanish. Took lots of pictures. Commander's Palace is here as well as The Rink and a few other famous things.

2. Lafayette Cemetery No 1-Also in the Garden District, I headed into this cemetery. I got to see how the above ground tombs and vaults look. It's weird walking through the cemetery but you can still tell it is one. Most of the people here are of German descent. Apparently they talked alot of German immigrants into coming to the city, only to die of disease in droves.

3. The French Quarter-Took the walking tour provided by the Gray Line. It was informative and allowed me to get my bearings-provided me some history on some neat landmarks. I got to see Lafitte's blacksmith shop, the Ursulines convent, the Cathedral, the Cabildo, Jackson Square, the Supreme Court building, Cafe du Monde, and a few other things.

4. Streetcars-I rode the St Charles line and Canal St line. Cheap public transportation and very conducive to getting around the city.

5. Food-I got some jambalaya at Napoleon House for like $7. It was great. I got ribs at Houston's where I also got to listen to live jazz. I got beignets at Cafe du Monde. I got a croissant at a coffee shop in the Quarter and it was great. I also remember eating a rum ball there. I bought groceries and ate some at the hotel. For the unadventurous there was a Subway and a Wendy's not too far from the hotel.

Missed: French Market, Frenchmen Street, Audubon, Tulane, Loyola, City Park, the steamboat, River Road plantations, St Louis Cemetery No 1 (Marie Laveau's tomb), haunted New Orleans tour

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Photos

Anne Rice former home
once a Catholic chapel

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
Named after the pirate who helped settle New Orleans and defended her in the Battle of New Orleans from the British with General Jackson

Cafe du Monde
Original coffee cafe of New Orleans-beignets are here