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The next day, Saturday, we hit the streets walking, thinking to go to the
famous Cafe Du Monde for morning coffee and beignets. We had a map but were
not yet familiar with the city so ended up buying Starbucks before we found
it. The line was about a hundred people long and we decided coffee and a
donut was not worth a long boring line wait. Voodoo Harley is owned by the
Bourbon Street Harley folks who told us that Voodoo HD was a couple doors
down from Du Monde, so we cut our losses on coffee and headed there to take
care of BFC/Rhema's Reality business--we had to get our picture taken in our
Rhema's Reality tee shirts to send back home in support of our friend Rhema,
a 14 YO cancer patient who with her friend Jacob started a non-profit to
raise money for childrens cancer research. The folks in the Harley shop were
great, letting us take down their custom painted gas tank to hold up for our
pic. But then, that is one of the highlights of NOLA--the people are
terrific, friendly and fun.
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Since we were at the French Market,
the original and oldest marketplace in New Orleans, we strolled through that
before heading back to the hotel to change out of the black RR tee shirts
(it was already 80 degrees out). The French Market, like Bourbon Street, is
pretty much a tourist trap and nowhere near as interesting for shopping as
our own beloved Pike Place Market. We passed Jackson Square with its street
artists and horse carriage rides for sale and wound our way back, taking
pics as we went and absorbing the vibes. There is music everywhere! The
French Quarter is also full of interesting archictecture, lacy ironwork and
shopping everywhere. It does show its age, but also its character. I
absolutely loved the atmosphere of gaiety, color and fun. I was hot and my
feet hurt when we got back to the hotel, but a change of clothes later, we
were back on the street for more gawking. More aimless walking got us to
Royal Street, probably the most expensive shopping avenue in the Quarter. It
was full of high-end antique stores (we saw a clock for sale for $58,000!),
jewelry stores, and art galleries. This was where we ran into Nicholas Cage.
We had found this cool shop that specialized in antique weapons and coins so
we just HAD to go in. With the combination of Spanish, French and American
influences that shaped New Orleans, there was a lot of history in that
store! When we came out and were deciding which way to go next, that's when
Troy spotted Mr. Cage standing right there by the window of the shop we came
out of. He nudged me and pointed him out. I couldn't pass up an opportunity
like that; I mean, my God! I was just watching this guy in one of his movies
on TV that morning and there he was, 2 steps away from me! So, that's what I
said to Nicholas Cage. I looked up at him (he's pretty tall) and said "Wow!
I was just watching you on TV this morning."
"Oh, what was I doing?" he asked.
My overstimulated brain trying to block my tongue, I was glad I didn't
stutter. "Family Man," I answered.
"Oh, great! Have a happy Easter" he said as he continued his way into the
store we'd just left.
We stood there at the window for a few minutes, watching him in the shop. I
admit I was thinking about going in and taking a photo--he was letting
someone take their photo with him when Troy first spotted him. But he was
trying to enjoy a day with his family so we decided to thank our lucky stars
and let him be. I've looked him up on IMDB since returning home to find out
that he is in New Orleans making a movie right now. The movie is an action
flick called Medallion. I'll be seeing that when it comes out :)
After several hours of beating the streets in the heat, we decided to take a
carriage ride. Only mules are allowed to be used as carriage pullers in the
French Quarter. The driver said it's because they stand up better to the
heat and are smarter than horses. He took us on a ride around several
blocks, pointing out things like a location where Interview With A Vampire
was filmed, cracking jokes, answering questions and sharing history. We
enjoyed it a lot. By that night I was so wiped all I could do was fall into
bed--an amazing, soft comfy bed btw, but Troy heard noise outside and when
he checked it out, turned out to be a fireworks show visible from our hotel
window. So Saturday night officially ended with a bang :)
 
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Sunday was Easter and there was to be a parade. Part of it was lining up to
start outside a restaurant where we were meeting our guide for a cemetery
tour. We didn't use one of the huge tour companies for this (there's one
where the guides dress up in period clothing, and another that just gets
really large groups). Instead, we had our hotel desk person set it up and
were fortunate that it had a group of just 5 of us so we could really focus
on our guide and ask anything we wanted without slowing down the tour. We
had not been able to find the cemetery on our own, mainly because its not
actually IN the French Quarter which we had not left yet. St Louis #1
Cemetery sits just behind the Quarter, right across Rampart Street, one of
the avenues that defines the borders of French Quarter (they are Decatur
Street on the river side, Rampart Street to the rear, Esplenade on one side
and Canal Street on the other). St Louis#1 is the first and oldest cemetery
in NO. This is where the tomb of Marie Laveau is as well as many other more
important names from New Orleans history. While the tour was interesting,
had we known where the cemetery was before hand, we'd have saved the $20 pp
it cost and just wandered over on our own. If you plan to do this, keep in
mind that the cemeteries all close at 3 PM. On Easter, it closed at noon.
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We strolled back across the Quarter towards the river on our way to our next
event, a lunch cruise on the Steamer Natchez, a real steam-powered
paddleboat. Although it was built in 1971, it is an authentic reproduction
of the type of boats typically taking passengers up and down the river in
the 1800's and the only one in the area whose paddlewheel is actually
steam-powered. It was colorful, full of music, including a performance
before the trip by an organist playing a steam calliope on top of the boat!
A jazz band played inside during the voyage and outside, there was live
narration about the river, history, shipping laws and sites we were passing.
It was expensive, but worth the money if you can afford it. It was only
about 5 when we finished the cruise so we took the opportunity to take the
streetcar through the Garden District, also known as the American sector.
Every local we had talked to either said we had to do this or asked if we'd
done it, so we had to go. Plus, with aching feet, an easy ride on a
streetcar was a good option for tired tourists. The St. Charles Streetcar
starts just over Canal Street on St Charles Street (not ON Canal
Street--that' a different ride that will take you up to the newer fancier
Metairie Cemetery) and runs through the heart of the Garden District where
the Pitts live in one of the many beautiful huge houses originally built by
the increasingly powerful and affluent Americans whose ideas about
architecture was very very different from those of the French. Loyola and
Tulane Universities, as well as Audubon Park, are also on this route. We
took photos out the car windows but this area deserves its own walking
exploration. We'll do that next time.
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The next day was our scheduled departure. We had time for breakfast then
headed out. Shortly after arriving at our departure gate, our flight time
changed to a delay. A couple hours later, it changed again and shortly after
that was cancelled altogether. We were travelling through Dallas, and the
tornado watch there shut down all flights. Oh darn, we had to spend one more
night in New Orleans. I called the Dauphine Orleans, got rates and
discovered we could afford another night there. Our new room was actually a
little nicer than the first. I hadn't known the rates because we'd booked
the hotel as part of a package, but now that I know, I'll stay there again
with or without a package. It was only about 4 PM when we got back, so we
had time for another walk to another area consistently recommended by the
locals. This time we headed to the opposite side of the French Quarter from
the Garden District, a colorful little suburb called Fauberg Marigny because
I wanted to see the houses there and maybe catch some music on Frenchman
Street. Marigny is just a step across the street from the French Quarter
proper, but the buildings are more classic French residential with colorful
little "shotgun houses", so named because of their straight, corridor-like
construction that would allow a shotgun blast to go completely in one end
and out the other if fired at the front door. We stopped on the way for
dinner at a hole-in-the-wall called Coop's, recommended by our hotel desk
clerk. We got there in time for an immediate table and some wonderful food.
It was crowded with people waiting outside to get in by the time we left.
Frenchmen Street was quiet at that time of day, too early for the bands to
be in, so we just looked for photo ops. Marigny was where we found the cute
little cottage with the glass flowers and cool doorknocker that I posted
several photos of. I hope to go back there for more exploration next time.
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That was all we had time for as we had to leave the hotel at 6 AM the next
morning to catch our rebooked 8 AM flight. I was left with impressions and
memories of color, music, sunshine and happiness as our flight took off. We
agreed to go back at the same time, Easter weekend, next time we go because
the weather was great and the crowds were low because the timing falls
between Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival which takes place the last weekend
of April/first weekend of May annually. There is so much more to see and do
than can be done in just a couple of days that we just HAVE to go again.
In summary, I've decided to break it down into a few basics from what people
have asked me since I got back.
Q: "Why New Orleans?"
A: Tired of cold and wet at home, and lovers of good music and Cajun food,
the sunshine, fun atmosphere, unique local culture and history and
affordable price compared to Mexico or Hawaii this time of year made this
city a perfect getaway from the gray days of WA.
Q: "What did you like best?"
A: The general ambiance. The atmosphere of fun. Never being more than a
couple of steps away from music. The sunshine. It is almost impossible to be
depressed in this combination of sunshine and activity. The people were
friendly, the food was good, but the years and culture also add this
old-world feeling, so it's kind of like going to Europe without needing a
passport or translator.
Activities:
Been There Done That (the tourist stuff to do once, over priced and
overhyped): Bourbon Street, paid cemetery tour, French Market
Loved it, will do again: streetcar ride, Gumbo Pot Restaurant for gumbo and
the best bread pudding EVER, Coops restaurant, Oceana Restaurant, Dauphine
Orleans Hotel, walking around to take it all in
Stuff for next time we didn't get to this time: Swamp tour, guided city tour
(ladies at airport did this and learned a variety of info from Katrina stuff
to where the Pitt's house is), get off streetcar and walk through Garden
District for photos, Canal Streetcar to Metairie Cemetery, Audubon Park,
zoo. If we can get to half these things, it will just be making a dent in
what's left to do here!
Let The Good Times Roll!
More images at my Facebook New Orleans
Album 1 and
Album 2 (you do not have to have a Facebook account to view these)