New Orleans

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Geo: 29.9498, -90.0769

Morning flight to New Orleans.

Tucked in below Lake Pontchartrain with the Mississippi delta to the east and south, New Orleans (nicknamed "The Big Easy" or NOLA) has little land suitable for building. What is available is very low lying, with an average elevation below sea level. In earlier times NOLA was one of the most important US cities but it has been in decline (relative to other US cities) since the 1860s, and in absolute decline since 1960. Apparently the population has almost returned to its 2005 pre-Katrina level of 400,000 (1.2M in the wider metro area).

New Orleans was French from 1718 until 1763, when it was ceded to Spain. Napoleon took it back in 1800 but then sold it to the US as part of the 'Louisiana Purchase' in 1803. He used the $15M sale price to fund his European wars. I was surprised to learn that the Purchase comprised a huge 825,000 sq miles of land, from 15 present US states and two Canadian territories.

We spent Sat night in the Wyndham Garden Hotel and then moved to the Hyatt Regency to join the cruise on Sun.

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Photos

Canal St
Canal St separates the more modern "American Sector" which includes the CBD, from the French Quarter (or more accurately, the French/Spanish Quarter). NB: photo time stamp is still LA time!

Felix's Oyster Bar
Creole seafood is a big attraction in NOLA. We ate char-grilled and natural oysters at this bar, along with seafood gumbo (a broth with rice) and turtle soup (very rich). The oysters were huge and the food was all very excellent. This and the Acme Oyster Bar across Iberville St seemed to be the most popular, with fast-moving queues to enter. It did not seem to be a tourist rip-off - many of the customers were locals.

Bourbon St
On a Saturday night Bourbon St was closed to vehicles. There were many bars with loud live music and street stalls selling beer, wine and "hand grenades" (which we are still to try). Lots of people walking the street and drinking, and diversions like these two. "My 45 inch boobs are real", she claimed. People drinking on the second floor balconies would throw bead necklaces down to people on the street - I don't know what that was about?

Napoleon House
A 1797 house that was upgraded in 1821 in the expectation that a St Helena prison break would bring Napoleon here to live. He died before the rescue attempt. Now it's a restaurant where we ate Jambalaya (paella-like rice and meat, spicy and good) with a side of red beans, and local beer.

Voodoo Bone Lady Haunted Tour
Had an entertaining two-hour evening walk around the French Quarter with our guide recounting stories of zombies, vampires, pirates, hauntings, murder and mayhem.

Lafayette's Garden
The pirate Lafayette was a generous contributor to the Church so he was allowed to sell his booty from this garden at the rear of St Louis Cathedral. Customers would view his wares through the fence and hand over their money and receive the goods passed over the fence. We were told that this was the origin of the term 'fencing' stolen goods. Hmm...

Marigny Brasserie
Frenchman St is similar to Bourbon St, with many bars with live music. We stopped there to listen to some jazz and have a drink before Uber'ing back to the hotel.

Comments

[Kerrie Lonn]

Look to be having a great time!

[Morag]

That is one seriously happy face Selwyn. Bet it was a fun evening and your companions are just gorgeous!

[Morag]

Noice and food sounds most tempting. You certainly are having foodie adventures

[Morag]

This is somethiing I would like to do, but wonder if you enjoyed the venue and music? You didnt actually say what you thought of it.