I’ve just returned from a 5-day trip south, to New Orleans and Biloxi, Mississippi, where I went to visit Josh. Thursday night, I arrived late in the Crescent City, and we set out early Friday morning to do some exploring. We got on the St. Charles streetcar just as a big thunderstorm was beginning, and rode all the way through the magnificent garden district in the rain. From my brief impressions, New Orleans seems to be an unusual blend of old and new, fancy and run-down, decadence and austerity…and the Garden District definitely shows off the fancy. The street car bounced along past old Southern style mansions, red bricks, palms, white columns, and old twisting trees that looked like weeping willows because of the many years worth of Mardi Gras beads strung from their branches.
St. Charles streetcar
Our final destination on the streetcar was the large Audubon Zoo, and with the rain just clearing up, it was the perfect time to visit. The storm had cut through the oppressive Lousiana heat and humidity and the animals were out and active, from the silverback gorillas, to the river otters, to the swamp bobcats, who wrestled just like a pair of playful housecats. But the most unusual animals at the zoo were a pair of white alligators, which are the world’s rarest animal, apparently. The bigger of the two was floating still, nose pressed against the glass, as if waiting. Couching down and staring into those beady eyes, the giant teeth only centimeters of glass away from my face, I couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy.
rare white alligator
As the morning wore into afternoon the heat returned in full force, so we retreated back downtown for lunch to the French Quarter, famous for its ornate iron balconies, free-flowing liquor, history, and tourists. After a summer in Paris, it was fun to see some French writing on many of the signs, menus, and street names. Shop windows boasted the city’s best pralines, beignets, and gumbos. After lunch, we walked close to the water, by street performers, horse carriage rides, musicians, and Jackson Square, arriving at the French market. Not long ago, apparently, the market was known for its fresh foods and produce, but these days all that can be found there are souvenirs—fleur de lis pendants, leather bracelets, and figurines. As it approached 5pm, it became clear the French Quarter was already livening up. Strip clubs were flashing their lights (one boasting “Thousands of beautiful girls, and three ugly ones”), and on the streets bartenders tried to hustle tourists into their particular hangout, claiming it was the true place to be for happy hour. We came across a few already rowdy bachelor and bachelorette parties, and music was already filling Bourbon street, from rock to Cajun, to hip hop. I needed a rest before I was ready to truly tackle this scene, after a long, sweaty day walking around the city.
French Quarter
This turned out to be a good decision, because once we did head out to Bourbon Street after dark, I discovered that a night out in New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. After spending some time walking the street and just enjoying the festive ambiance and the street musicians serenading the crowds, we started the night at Pat O’Brien’s, a classy but lively piano bar, where the waiters wear green jackets with their suits, and I had by far the strongest drink I have ever tasted: The Hurricane. Hurricanes are favorite cocktails all over Bourbon street, but in most places just taste like glorified daiquiris. Pat O’Brien’s Hurricanes are more like the evil twin of the daiquiri, on steroids, and armed with a sledgehammer. The piano bar was blast: two skilled pianists and singers played entirely by request, as the Hurricane-sipping crowd wrote the names of their favorite songs on their napkins and slid them across the piano, and then sang along to everything from Bon Jovi, to John Denver, to the Temptations. One night was enough though, and the next day we drove back to Biloxi, Mississippi, where I was staying for the rest of the visit with Josh’s brother and his family. The next few days were much slower-paced then the visit to the Big Easy, but fun, as we enjoyed all the activities one should on the Gulf coast: hanging out at the beach, sailing, eating shrimp, spending a morning at the Hard Rock pool, and an evening at the Biloxi casinos. Just a few days later, I’m already back home, sunburnt, but happy. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
very cool