Fat Tuesday and New Orlean

Monday Feb. 15,2010 Road trip USA 

Well we made it.  It was a Herculean drive but worth it.  The city of new Orleans is not a nice place; it's gritty, it's raw, it's The Big Easy.  It's also still recovering from the hurricane. As the Sun was making a run for cover, we missed a few exits that put us right in the heart of some ugly scary districts. Tried and tried again and eventually found the French Quarter. Despite my tribulation we entered. At best the place wasn't designed for cars and the night before Fat Tuesday, well what a mistake. Narrow roads, one way streets pedestrians everywhere, cars bumper to bumper, no where even to pull over and get ones bearings. When it was clear we weren't getting a hotel in the Quarter we attempted to flee. To late! it was as if we were in a lobster trap, easy enough to get into but only way out was a pot of boiling water.  We kept trying street after street only to find dead ends, barricades or a loop back to where we started. To complete the maze, police were barricading streets and locking down the area for the festivities. It put an urgency to it, we had to get to the next street before they closed it down. It was hours before we found a hole in the perimeter. 

Jen found us a hotel south of the French Quarter,  at the seed edge of the Garden District. The Prytania Park Hotel (1525 Prytania St New Orleans) 

They took one look at us, took pity, and gave us a room at two times the going rate. In truth the rate might have being cheaper than the going Mardi Gras rate. Exhausted!, frustrated, and starving, I think our heads hit the pillow around 12:30 am.  

We woke early grabbed cameras, got bearings, sort off, and walked towards the Quarter. The area between the hotel and the French Quarter is, by in large, a no mans land with one notable exception "The Warehouse District" More on that later. Throngs of people are beginning to mass along parade routes. It may be the lack of sleep for the past 3 days or the starvation, or that it's "F"in cold, but everything has a surreal quality to it. There is most definitely something about to happen feeling about the place.  

Instead of waiting with the crowds Jen and I walk and walk, we really really want to find a coffee and something to eat; nothings open of course.  We eventually come across the only open coffee shop in New Orleans, seems the other people had the same idea as us. I suspend my "I don't wait in food line-ups" rule for this one time.  Can't remember the quality of that coffee and ham and cheese croissant but that was the best damn breakfast ever!

We spent the rest of the day walking around following the action, there seemed to be a large parade(which we never saw) and several smaller parades. Jen and I kept with the smaller ones, I walk on the street with them shooting as I went. Everyone was in costume. It's like Halloween on steroids with the abandonment of a gay pride parade. Absolutely everyone was involved. Rich-poor, black-white for this one day division are temporarily suspend for a hedonistic jamboree!  A notable exception was the Jesus freak, "the end is near" "Repent Sinner", crowd who seemed to use the event to try to save the lost souls who were having a good time.  The ideological tussles between the revellers and religious zealots provided extra entertainment opportunities. 

Spent the day exploring eating, drinking, observing and collecting beads; I only had to show my breasts once and thankfully no-one tried to kiss me. After dinner we walked back to our hotel (should have grabbed a cab but good luck finding one). It was dark, we were tired and Jen wasn't feeling well.  We where a little lost, I mean we knew where we were but not how to get where we wanted kind of lost. I picked a local, who I thought might not rob and kill us, for directions. They wearily gave us directions and even offered to give us a ride warning us, quite sincerely, even emphatically of the dangers of walking at night,(no mans land and all) I declined of course; however after 45mins more walking I started to rethink that choice. 

We intended to have a rest an return but exhaustion trumped desire and we fell asleep early. Lame right! we know. To justify our lameness we observed that the exuberant feeling of the morning dissolved as the day wore on, as night approached the drunkenness became louder, meaner and uglier. The news says it was busy but relatively not violent.  (only three shootings, one accidental discharge and the other two where only shot in the leg, so i guess that's not serious?)  In truth we haven't seen much in the way of nastiness. Most everyone is just having a good time or too drunk to do harm to anyone but themselves. 

There's lots of fear of violence but I haven't seen much. You can tell it's out there some where.  Maybe it's real but probably just Americans being Americans.  Don't worry Mom, I'm naturally paranoid so we're being careful. 

Once Fat Tuesday and hank over Wednesday were over hotel options dramatically improved. We where able to get a beautiful room in the heart of the Quarter 

Hotel Provincial (1024 Chartres Street). 

Private residence Garden District

When the checking in we were asked about our journey and after a brief description the otherwise austere man said seemingly impressed in a slow and low southern way, "coooool" and had us shown to our room. 

Private residence Garden District

Private residence French Quarter

I called him Zydeco Alice, I was to scared to ask. 

Cornstalk Hotel

Private Residence

Lafayette Cemetery#2

The Commander's Place(1403-Washington Avenue)
In New Orleans Garden District, at the N.E. corner of the Lafayette Cemetery number 2.  Easily the best food I've ever had! Oyster's bake in absinthe nestled in phyllo pastry. Did I mention 0.25 martinis. The service was outstanding! our waiter introduced himself but his immaculately waxed connoisseur styled, handlebar mustache told us everything before he ever utter a gracious southern tone.

The music and streets were alive yesterday and into the night.  

What do you say to something like this?

It ain't fair but hell is it Funny

My what a big Adams apple you have!

Barataria Preserve

Barataria Preserve

Jen and I went out into the swamps to the south of the city today.  Simply beautiful,  In the spring it would be better.  It's too cold right now for Alligator's and such and it's not as lush as in the spring and summer, I'm told.  Perhaps we can come back someday. 

New Orleans has a fantastic spirit! Its people, the food, their history and culture astound me.  I mean they gave the world jazz after all.  The city is surrounded by water: Lake Pontchartrain to the North and  the "Mighty Mississippi" River to the South. Swamps are all around us and you can smell the Gulf of Mexico if the winds blowing from the South; it gives one the feeling of being on an island. 

  

We'll spend another night or two and start a much slower return trip home.  Going to check out Frenchmen Street tonight, I'm told that's where all the real Jazz can be found. We plan to travel westward as far South as possible (maybe we'll find somewhere warm yet).  We would like to hit Mexico but we're concerned about the budget.  Before leaving Louisiana we'll explore more of the bayou and rural Cajun culture.  The food here is fantastic! and inexpensive.  The music is contagious!  Tonight we're off to find some gator for dinner.  Talk at you soon.