Monday 18th April
Made our way down highway 1 from Marksville, passing through several small towns until we came to the Mississippi and on to Baton Rouge. There were homes with boat houses sitting alongside the river near Baton Rouge and on the other side of the highway we passed some very impressive and substantial homes. South east of Baton Rouge we came to Lake Pontchartrain and New Orleans.
Stopped for some fuel on the way and our dollar debit card was refused. This has happened before at gas stations and will mean another lengthy phone call to Lloyds Bank.
We had booked in at Pontchartrain Landing RV Park which is situated on the navigation canal between the lake and the Mississippi and very convenient for downtown. The Park has a marina, boat slips, waterfront and floating vacation villas, bar/restaurant and swimming pool. They also operate a daily shuttle to the French Quarter which is 15 minutes away. This was once a boat and ship building area and still has an industrial feel to it, next door is a yacht repair factory.
This evening we went into the French Quarter. We were too late for the shuttle, therefore we called a cab company. We waited for a while and then received a call from the driver to say she was on her way. The first thing our driver asked when she arrived was why I hadn’t answered her two previous calls, I apologised and explained that the signal here was a little intermittent. Next we were told to get in the vehicle, ladies in the back and to put our seat belts on. This was Leanna - as in bananna, as she told us. We were hardly half a mile down the road before she had got us all singing – My Girl, and I have to say the harmonies weren’t bad. Well this is New Orleans – music town.
Leanna dropped us off in the French Quarter – after demonstrating to the men the correct way to help a lady out of the vehicle - and we walked around the bustling, lively streets of bars and restaurants with music drifting out of doorways everywhere. The buildings are very reminiscent of old style French/Spanish Mediterranean with plant strewn wrought iron balconies.
We had been given a recommendation for a gastro pub called Sylvain in Chartres Street. When we arrived at the restaurant there was an hour wait. They took our phone number and we went off to find a music bar. We heard some particularly good sounds coming from one corner bar. Inside there was a three girl group with backing musicians. They were excellent and could, back in the day, have given the Supremes a run for their money.
The building that houses Sylvain was built in 1796 and was very atmospheric.
We had a good meal and then phoned Leanna to pick us up. It wasn’t long before we were all singing our way back to the RV Park.
Tuesday 19th April
Had a leisurely breakfast and Tony then had the familiar long phone conversation with Lloyds about our blocked dollar debit card. The outcome was that if it happens again Lloyds will send a text to our US phone, we will verify what has happened and they will un-block the card and all will be well – Hurray!
We had lunch on the veranda of the Lighthouse restaurant at the RV Park and then got the shuttle into the French Quarter. As we approached Jackson Square Simon was stopped by someone who said, I bet I can guess where your shoes come from’. The premise being he wanted to clean the shoes and get remunerated for it. How he proposed to shine and polish a pair of canvas shoes was a mystery but he made a valiant effort of cleaning the rubber edging around the shoes.
Continued our walking tour past some very European looking houses and eventually came to the oldest building in New Orleans, Lafittes Blacksmith shop, now a bar in Bourbon Street.
We stopped off at an outside café for lunch and listened to the jazz band they had playing.
On a recommendation from Peter, we called in at the Roosevelt Hotel to try their signature cocktail in the Sazerac Bar. A mixture of Rye and bitters it was surprisingly good. The bar had a 1920’s feel with lots of walnut furniture. It was very lively with plenty of pre-dinner drinkers. We met four sisters that come away together every year to meet up and enjoy themselves somewhere in the US.
Wednesday 20th April
Wilson arrived this afternoon from Orlando. We met up with him at the Loews Hotel downtown where Simon and Ninette will stay until they fly home on Saturday.
Dinner this evening was at another recommended place called the Bon Ton Cafe in Magazine Street. The building that houses the Café dates back to the 1840’s but the restaurant opened in 1953. The room had exposed brick walls, checkered tablecloths and an old fashioned Lyons corner house feel with every table taken. Quite brightly lit with plenty of, what looked like, experienced staff milling about who had probably worked there for years. Our waitress was old style, no nonsense and efficient. She knew the menu like the back of her hand and knew exactly what to recommend.
She had a great sense of humour and we a few laughs. The menu had plenty of old time Louisiana Cajun dishes like crawfish etouffee, I was spoilt for choice but decided on fillet of redfish served under a mound of fresh crabmeat. All in all a great night, good company, excellent service, good food.
Thursday 21st April
Looked around the shops in a rainy downtown and then stopped to have nachos in a small bar called the Copper Monkey before meeting up with Simon, Ninette and Wilson in the Loews Hotel Bar. While waiting in the bar for the others to come down I was looking through a book about the history of New Orleans that I had picked up in the hotel lounge. The man sitting next to us noticed the book and said he was a Louisiana resident and lived just north of New Orleans. He had a lot of information about the town and gave us recommendations of where to eat. As is usual in most places in America it is very easy to strike up conversation.
This evening we went to another restaurant on our recommendation list, Pascal Manale, a family owned Italian restaurant in the garden district of the city that opened in 1913. Walking into the restaurant we came to the old fashioned Edwardian wooden bar where we waited until our table was ready.
The specialty here is the BBQ shrimp but the place is also famous for its oyster bar. Another night of good food and company.
We waited outside for our cabs home, one to the RV Park and one to the hotel. Ours came first and we left Simon, Ninette, and Wilson outside the restaurant talking to the doorman. After we left they continued chatting to the doorman who at first seemed a little unapproachable but eventually they got on to music and he started singing in a beautiful baritone voice. The taxi driver they had was from Pakistan and he sang them a Pakistani love song as they drove back to the hotel, Ninette said it was really sweet. I think everyone in this town has a tune in them.
As we approached the RV Park our driver told of how in the 1970’s this was a busy ship building area where he used to work. It was thriving at that time and he earned good money but as in other parts of the world the ship industry here died.
Friday 22nd April
Tom arrived this morning and we headed into town on the shuttle bus to meet up with Simon, Ninette and Wilson at Jazz Fest. This is the first day of what has been an annual event in New Orleans since 1970 and runs over two weekends.
The event is held at the Fairgrounds Racecourse. On the way there I took a tumble over a raised sidewalk flagstone. I went down with a real thud and took the impact on my left hand and knee. Therefore, the first place I went at the Fest was the Medical Tent to get the cuts and scrapes cleaned up. They said I was the third one with similar injures they had seen already and the festival had only been open a couple of hours.
There were several stages and tents at the festival all featuring different types of music, jazz, blues, gospel etc. Our first stop was the jazz tent where a trad band was playing and several people were dancing around to the music.
Next was the gospel tent and a great rendition of Oh Happy Day.
On to the blues tent and then to the Acura Stage and Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brother.
The festival had a great atmosphere going with wonderful music and artists, we had a really enjoyable afternoon.
We all got on the school bus the hotel was using as a shuttle for a ride back downtown.
Back in town it was drinks at the Loews Hotel Bar and then on to the Herbsaint Restaurant in Saint Charles Street. It was a fine evening and we sat on one of the sidewalk tables. Great menu, beautiful food.
Back to the hotel for a nightcap in the bar and to say goodbye to Wilson who was flying out in the morning
Tom came back with us to the RV and we left thinking we would see Simon and Ninette in the morning. Back at the RV we received a text from Ninette, their flight was in the morning not in the evening as she had thought, good job she checked.
Saturday 23rd April
Spoke to Simon and Ninette by phone from the airport to say goodbye and safe journey.
This afternoon we took a trip down the Mississippi on the Steamboat Natchez.
We found ourselves a nice seat on the top deck with a good view of the town. As we moved down the river there was a narrator describing where we were and what we were passing.
We glided past the French Quarter and St Louis church.
Next we came to Cape Kennedy and Cape Knox two Ready Reserve Force ships. They are government owned roll on roll off ships that provide prompt emergency relief for humanitarian or peacekeeping missions anywhere in the world. Crossing the Atlantic in six days. The bulbous bow saves fuel, reduces drag, increases speed and stability.
Past the opening to the intercoastal waterway that stretches across the Gulf into Florida and along the Atlantic coast to New York.
We came to some damaged levees and docks, the aftermath of Katrina.
Next the historic Andrew Jackson Barracks, headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard.
The Domino Sugar building looked rusted and derelict but it is still a working factory. We could see the sugar being loaded onto a ship at the dock side.
We came to St Bernard Port and the monument to Andrew Jackson after the 1812 battle with the British.
Turning around we headed back to New Orleans and the downtown skyline soon came into view.
Before docking we went to have a look around the engine room
and then to main salon where there was a jazz band playing.
We came past the Oriana docked in New Orleans harbor.
After disembarking
we walked around Jackson Square past the horse drawn carriages.
The square was busy with tourists sitting in the sun watching the street entertainers.
Dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant on the veranda - Crawfish Boil.
Sunday 24th April
Tom was picked up this morning by several friends from Bennett’s Ski School. They are going to Jazz Fest, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are on today.
Visited Rouses the local supermarket to get supplies. Outside the shop was a large boiler where they were cooking crawfish and then selling them freshly cooked.
Monday 25th April
Tom arrived back this morning from the hotel after having a late night, or I should say early morning, partying in downtown. I think a good time was had by all. He went back off to Uni and then there was just us three. We have said a lot of good-byes this last few days. It has been a fun packed three weeks and we have got used to having friends and family around us, it was sad to see them all go.
Managed to get a few jobs done today. Replaced a broken winch on the trailer. Tried again to get the wifi router working. After several phone calls to RadioLabs it is to be returned for a second time. The RV has a crack in the windscreen which is too big to be repaired. After talking to our insurance company Tony phoned the manufacturer who will arrange for a local company to fit a new windscreen.
Went to CVS to see the pharmacist. The wound on my knee is not looking very healthy, might have an infection in it. The pharmacist was very good and said I should see a doctor and get some anti biotics but first I will try antibiotic cream to see if that works. I came out the shop with an armful of stuff, sterile cotton wool balls, sterile nonstick dressing, Hydrogen Peroxide to clean the wound and antibiotic cream. Let’s see if that lot does the trick.
Tuesday 26th April
Took a trip to Walmart Supercentre and the opticians they have there. Tony badly needs new lenses, the ones he has are very scratched. The service was good, Chema, the assistant that helped us was attentive and efficient.
Wednesday 27th April
As predicted today we had thunderstorms and heavy rain. I decided to take the pharmacists advice and go see a doctor about my knee. The nearest walk-in centre was in downtown New Orleans. On the way the weather deteriorated and visibility on the highway was bad. There was some flooding in the downtown area as the drains struggled to cope with the downpour. I had to wade through nearly a foot of water to get into the walk-in centre. The doctor said that the abrasion was infected but it was still localised and I didn’t need antibiotics but I did need a tetanus shot as the town full of horse manure, only he didn’t say it quite so politely. The knee (looking nasty colours of red and yellow) was dressed and I was given antibiotic cream, gauze dressings, strapping and told to change the dressing once a day. I was also advised to not go wading in any dirty water, local lakes or the Gulf of Mexico – I did mention that I had already been wading today to get into the building.
Thursday 28th April
More thunderstorms today. The wind got up and I could somehow smell the rain coming and oh boy did it rain.
About a year ago our US phone fell on the floor and the glass cracked. We have managed since then and just got accustomed to the squiggly black lines on the screen. However, Tom suggested we try replacing the screen ourselves. Tony got on YouTube to watch videos on how to disassemble the phone and sent off for a new screen and the appropriate tools – a good job to do on a rainy day. After several hours with lots of bits of phone strewn across the table, it proved impossible to separate the screen from the LED panel. Tony gave up and went off to source another phone.
I managed to speak to Cerys via WhatsApp. It had been a while since we had chatted and it was nice to catch up on all the family news. Cerys said that the UK was experiencing similar weather as here, except we can still wear shorts and a tee-shirt, I don’t think that would be the case in the UK.
Went for dinner at the RV Park restaurant, the rain had stopped and we sat out on the veranda.
Friday 29th April
On the way to get a new phone yesterday Tony stopped for fuel and guess what, they refused his card. The new system of text to advise that payment could be made didn’t work because he did not yet have a new working US phone.
Started to watch Downton, series six.
Saturday 30th April
Our hopes of going to Jazz Fest today have been dashed. This afternoon there has been severe thunder storms across the area, plus a tornado warning.
The festival was closed down and the final acts, Stevie Wonder, Buddy Guy, Snoop Dogg, amongst others, didn’t appear. As I write the thunder and rain continues. Not much good news this week!
Sunday 1st May
Saw the first flash of lightening and heard the first clap of thunder at 1100. The rain started at 1130 and continued for the rest of the day. There are concerns about flash floods. The water seems to be draining away from the RV Park quite well but we are positioned at the side of a canal between the Mississippi and Lake Pontchartrain, that’s a lot of water.
Monday 2nd May
Bad weather still dominates the area. Temperatures are in the mid- twenties centigrade with 99% humidity. Only one heavy shower today and the sun came out this evening.
Tuesday 3rd May
Viewed a film in the function room here at the Park called Hurricane on the Bayou. The story was told by a young girl and her family and friends who were here at the time of hurricane Katrina. She is a musician and together with other Louisiana musicians they were appealing for the restoration of the wetlands in the area. They described the impact that Louisiana’s disappearing wetlands had on natural hurricane protection.
One of the musicians was Cajun and grew up in the bayous. He was also a pilot and could see from the air how much the wetlands and outlying barrier islands had reduced since he was a child. The seasonal flooding of the Mississippi that carried sediments onto the land, creating healthy growth of the wetlands and filling any areas of subsidence, was stopped years ago by the building of levees. The sediment carried by the river was now discharged into the sea. Another factor was the dredging of canals which allowed salt water from the Gulf of Mexico to intrude into the brackish/freshwater wetlands. The film went on to tell the story of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
Wednesday 4th May
The first day of good weather for a week but we have the RV booked in to have the windscreen replaced. Our route to Accurate Auto Glass in Matairie about ten miles away was via the I-10 west and the traffic was heavy. Belle met us when we arrived with the staff who would be fitting the window.
The first thing the staff noticed was that our windscreen was unusual because it was not sitting in a ‘gasket’ surround. The guys would need to be careful when fitting the new screen to hold it in place until fixing agent had dried.
We were given a company vehicle to use while the work was done. It was a new Chevrolet pickup, at last we were getting the chance to drive a pick up. Tony was very impressed, it drove beautifully.
After doing some shopping we stopped off at La Madeleine for lunch, a really good French style bakery and café. I liked everything on the menu but eventually settled for croquet monsieur and salad, Tony had chicken in a cream sauce, broccoli and rice, all delicious.
We got back to Accurate Auto Glass and the new windscreen was in place and looked much better fitted than the original. The old one was sitting on the floor of the workshop with a large crack down the middle waiting to be disposed of.
We were very pleased with the work and the service we had received from everyone, particularly Belle who looked after us very well.
Sandy relaxing.
Thursday 5th May
This morning we had a look around the French Market
and then took a walking tour of the French Quarter. Our guide Nancy
explained about the beginnings of the city in the French Market area where the original settlement was a Native American trading post on the bend of the river. Before we moved on Nancy gave us a warning about the uneven pavements due to the area being built on swamp land and silt from the Mississippi River which causes subsidence because the bedrock is so far below. As I had already fallen foul of the New Orleans pavements I was already on alert.
In the early 18th century the area belonged to the French and a grid pattern development was put in place on high ground at the side of the river. In 1762, the king of France asked his cousin the King of Spain if he would take over and manage the territory. Hence, the Spanish era started and the resultant architecture can be seen today.
There were two serious fires first in 1788 and again in 1794 after which the Spanish put in place strict building rules. Typical buildings from this period are two story with a first floor balcony decorated with wrought iron. Shuttered windows and a courtyard garden.
Usually the ground floor was for business and the floor above for living. The first inhabitants came from France, Spain, Caribbean and West Africa and had the collective name of Creole
The catholic faith dominated and the Ursuline Convent acted as a hospital for the town and was known for growing medicinal herbs. The convent survived the two fires where most of the original French Quarter buildings were destroyed.
We looked at houses and heard the stories of some notorious households. For example, the Lalaurie mansion which is said to be haunted. There were stories that Madame Lalaurie mistreated her slaves and in 1834 when a fire broke out in the house rescuers reported finding seven slaves horribly mutilated. The Lalauries left New Orleans and were not heard again. A more recent owner of the house was Nicolas Cage who apparently had it reposed by the IRS.
Our next stop was the Hop On Hop Off bus for a tour of the city. Starting at the French Market.
Sandy has become obsessed with catching geckos since we have been here.
Friday 6th May
Went into the French Quarter on the shuttle bus run by the RV Park. We walked along Royal Street which runs at the back of St Louis church and is a smart street with nice boutique shops and art galleries.
Walked around Jackson Square in front of the church past all the street artists.
Moved onto the French Market and had something to eat at the Market Café. There was a jazz/blues group singing and they did a great version of Hi De Ho Man.
We had a New Orleans invention called a Muffaletta. An Italian style bun layered with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone and swiss cheese. Topped with olive salad and baked. Beautiful but one between two is plenty.
Just across the road is Central Grocery which is still an old fashioned Italian deli and grocery and it claims to have invented the muffaletta back in the early 1900’s.
Our ticket for the Hop On Hop Off bus runs for three days and we waited at the stop across from the market.
While there we spotted what looked like a National Guard helicopter flying over with people sitting at the open hatch door.
The bus took us around the town again.
This time as we passed St Louis Cemetery we spotted the pyramid shaped tomb purchased a few years ago by Nicolas Cage which is to be his final resting place.
As we neared the river we passed a gaping hole in the road that was cordoned off. There appeared to be an open space or tunnel down in the hole.
We got off the bus in the Garden District and met our guide Christie who would be taking us on a walking tour of the district. First we had the usual warning about the broken pavements before we set off to view this lovely district.
Built in the 1830’s as a settlement for the new American residents made wealthy by cotton and sugar, the houses are large antebellum mansions build along shady oak tree lined streets. These days oil is the money spinner and the area has attracted some Hollywood stars to buy mansions, such as Sandra Bullock and again Nicolas Cage.
Writer and New Orleans born Anne Rice famous for her vampire books and particularly, Interview with a Vampire has a house here.
We finished the tour at Lafayette Cemetery where many Hollywood film sequences have been made, such as, Double Jeopardy and Dracula. There are many family tombs here and ‘society’ tombs owned by organisations or interest groups, such as volunteer firemen or orphan homes. Each vault is built over a below ground vault or cave. When the chamber is needed for the next interment the body is placed in the cave below, clearing the vault for the next. There are two brick built tombs that look very different to the rest and it is believed that they date back to before the cemetery was built and the area was a sugar plantation. It could have been the plantation burial area?
We said goodbye to Christie and got back on the bus to go downtown. On the way we noticed all the beads in the tree branches left over from Mardi Gras.
The narrator pointed out Dr Mary’s Remedy Room, the place to go for your post Mardi Gras hang over. Here they will hook you up to an IV and get you hydrated or analyse your blood and give you the appropriate solution. Oh, you can also have a pedicure at the same time.
Saturday 7th May
Back on the bus today, we stopped off in Magazine Street at the area known originally as Lafayette.
Here there were two designated historical districts, the Irish Channel and the Garden District. The residents of the Irish Channel were in fact Irish and German immigrants that settled in the area in the thirty years before the civil war. This was a working class poor area (unlike the Garden District further down the Road) and many worked on the riverfront or dugout canals.
We walked along the small shopping centre and the to have look at the two large churches built in the 1850’s St Alphonsus for the Irish catholic community and right opposite St Mary’s for the German community.
We continued along Magazine Street towards the Garden District. It was buzzing with people but had a Saturday morning relaxed feel with everyone out shopping in the boutiques and drinking coffee at the sidewalk tables – very continental.
We stopped off at Tracys pub for a pint of Guinness. It is oyster season and outside on the sidewalk was a table full of oysters that a barman was shucking and selling by the plate full.
We hopped back on the bus and made our way downtown. We were too early for the shuttle bus back to the RV Park and went into a Coyote Ugly Saloon that we passed. It is Kentucky Derby day and it is getting wide coverage on the TV. The bar was quiet but it soon livened up when the bar staff got on the bar top to dance – Yee-haw!
Cigar making.
Sunday 8th - Monday 9th May
Stayed around the RV Park. Met John our next door neighbour and his who are from just north of Baton Rouge. They were very generous, first they gave us a great Cajun music CD made by a friend of theirs. We also had a steak from them to try that was in a great marinade, very tasty. John’s father owns an RV company and they were trialing a new torch with a powerful beam and magnetic casing. On the morning they left John gave us one of the torches. Tony put it straight to work in the battery compartment of the RV. It stuck to the ceiling and lit the compartment as he topped up the batteries.
Tuesday 10th May
The National WWII Museum is located in the Warehouse District of New Orleans.
This military history museum tells the story of the United States involvement and experience in the war and is based in New Orleans because of the cities connection to Higgins boats. These were the amphibious crafts that were famously used at the D-Day landings and were designed, built and tested by Higgins Industries in New Orleans.
The museum has five themed buildings where the exhibits are a mix of personal accounts, film footage, documents, photographs, aircraft, vehicles, boats and interactive exhibits.
The first building had information about D-Day, and a look at a Higgins boat. There was also a mock-up of Union Station where you are taken on a train journey with newsreel and photographs flashing by the windows and a voiceover telling the story of America’s run up to becoming involved in the war.
When we purchased our tickets we were given a plastic ‘dog tag’. The tag is barcode imprinted and allows you to follow the experiences of an actual participant in the war. The person I followed was called Bill Barnes from Mississippi and he was in the US Coast Guard.
Next was Beyond All Boundaries, a 4D experience, produced and excellently narrated by Tom Hanks. This tells the story from Pearl Harbor, through the battles fought in the war to the final victory. There were the words and stories of people who participated in the war and the use special effects to bring the experience alive, as if you were there.
On to the next building and the Road to Berlin and the Road to Tokyo.
Telling the story in film, exhibit and the voices of those who were there, of the experience in the European and Pacific theatres of war. Here we could tap the dog tags on interactive readers to find out how the person you were following was getting on in the war. Bill, made it through the war and lived until he was 92.
One of the increasingly few veterans left from the war was standing in front of words by General MacArthur (a moment in time)
Final Mission: USS Tang Experience
Last, was an interactive look at the final voyage of the most successful submarine in WWII. We stepped aboard the submarine to relive what was the last battle of this submarine on the 25th October 1944. We each received a ‘watch bill’ representing a specific Tang crewmember and assigned to the Depth Control station. The commander’s voice comes over the microphone giving orders to each station and describing the action. Through the ceiling of the sub we could view the action and the targets through a very clever interactive display.
It did give you a little appreciation of what it must have been like in this intense, confined space under the water. On the wall outside was a picture of every crewmember on the Tang that day and you could check if the person you were assigned as survived. In fact, only nine of the crew survived and were picked up by the Japanese and kept in captivity until the end of the war.
This is an excellent facility, well planned and staffed with enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. The oral histories and the interactive exhibits gave a personal touch next to the hard facts of war.
Wednesday 11th May
We went into the French Quarter on the 4pm shuttle from the RV Park. We had a walk around and went to Lafayette Square where they had live music playing. It was very busy.
Stopped off for dinner at New Orleans Creole Cookery Restaurant.
Thursday 12th May
Went into the French Quarter again this morning. I went to have a look at the New Orleans Collection in Royal Street, while Tony went for a walk with Sandy.
The New Orleans Collection is a museum, research centre and publisher. Through exhibitions and publications the collection tells the story of the region and the research centre has an extensive number of artifacts, photographs, paintings, maps and manuscripts.
The collection founders were General L Kemper and his wife Leila Hardie Moore Williams and they renovated the house in Royal Street that is now the museum.
I took a guided tour around the Williams residence that they purchased in 1938 in an effort to revitalise what was a declining neighborhood. After extensive renovations the couple made it their primary residence from 1946 to 1963. Most of their original furniture, antiques and art are in the house as they left it.
The house was built in 1889 and our guide told us the story of the people who had owned it over years and the changes they had made. A fascinating insight into the life of New Orleans.
Before leaving I went into one of the exhibition rooms to have a look at the original signed manuscript of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1803 Napoleon sold about a third of what is the now the USA to America for 15 million dollars. I think that works out to 3 dollars and acre. Talk about the sale of the centuries.
It was now lunch-time and we went off Café Beignet in Bourbon Street to sit in their court yard, listen to some music and have coffee and beignets, another New Orleans staple.
After lunch we had a walk over to Louis Armstrong Park
and then back to the French Market area.
Central Grocery, still an old fashioned the Italian deli where the muffaletta was invented.
By this time were walked off our feet and was glad to get the shuttle back to the RV Park.
Friday 13th May
Went to Bennett’s Ski School to meet up with Tom.
He was training today in readiness for a competition there over the weekend.
Michael joined us and we went into Baton Rouge for lunch.
Saturday 14th May
Travelled fifty miles west of New Orleans today to River Road along the Mississippi in St James Parish. This is sugarcane country and where we were visiting the Laura Plantation.
This well preserved plantation was owned by a French speaking Creole family called Duparc – Locoul. The family story was pieced together from the memoires of Laura Lacoul who was born there in 1861.
Our guide took us through the house and told of four generations of the family that had owned the sugar plantation since 1804. We started in the under house area and saw examples of how the house was constructed. After exploring the gardens we moved up the outside stairs to the living rooms and bedrooms.
Four generations of women in the family ran the plantation until Laura sold it in 1891. In Creole society it was legal for women to hold property.
As we moved from room to room our guide told us tales of what could be called a rather dysfunctional family that included murder, brutality, enlightenment, accidental arsenic poisoning, depression and shrewd businesswomen. A fascinating look into the Creole class structure and way of life, where close family ties and the family business were all important.
From the house we moved into the grounds and the slave quarters. Owning slaves to carry out the manual labour tasks was part of plantation life. Families lived in wooden huts with some land for growing food and keeping chickens. Breakfast and lunch were supplied by the plantation owners. Laura wrote of one slave that has been branded on the face because he had tried to run away.
Flagy Duparc had three enslaved mistresses with whom he had several children.
We saw an original document that was produced after the civil when all the slaves were freed. It was called an Agreement with Freedmen which listed all the slaves that were owned by the plantation and how much they would be paid for their work now they were free.
Back in New Orleans we went to the Algiers district and found the Crown and Anchor pub. This district is on the west bank of the Mississippi opposite New Orleans and can be reached for a couple of dollars by the Canal Street Ferry.
Algiers has quite a village like atmosphere with streets of small clapboard houses. The pub is on a corner near the river at Algiers Point, outside they have a mock-up of Dr Who’s TARDIS. Inside the pub is cool and dark with wooden beam effect walls and ceiling. On the walls are plenty of pictures, brass plates, general bric-a-brac and hanging from the ceiling are jugs of every shape and size. It does have a good old pub atmosphere and of course sells draught beer from the pump in a straight glass or a jug with a handle.
Sunday 15th May
Caught the shuttle into the French Quarter this afternoon. The streets were busy with plenty of people about walking or dancing to the street music.
As we walked down Bourbon Street, we noticed that there was more than we had seen before of people sitting on the side-walk asking for money, the busy Sunday streets must have brought them all out. Bourdon Street is a place of contrasts with all the music, clubs and bars and the distinctly nasty smells of either sewage or garbage. Then there is the fine dining Galatoire’s Restarant at one end of the street where gentlemen must where a jacket.
Further along is Pat O’Briens where there is a good cocktail bar and smart Courtyard restaurant. We stopped off here for a Mint Julep and chat with the friendly and informative barman. One of the main topics was the up and coming US elections and the main candidates.
Then around the corner into the quiet calm of Royal Street. Here it is like entering a different and more serene world of lovely boutique shops and art galleries.
For dinner we walked to the Faubourg Marigny area and Frenchman Street. This street is also known for its jazz music and restaurants but has a much more local neigbourhood feel.
We eat at Marigny Brasserie and listened to a great young trad jazz band called Dinos Aurchestra.
After dinner we went down the street to the Art Market
New Orleans is certainly a city like we have never seen before and is not to be missed
Monday 16th May
Weather has changed, cloudy, windy but very warm.
Had a chat with George who is staying here while he works on a movie that is being made in New Orleans. He is in special effects and is working on the last Wolverine film
Tuesday 17th May
Heavy rain and thunderstorms. Still very warm with high humidity.
The rain stopped late this afternoon and we went to the restaurant in the RV Park for dinner. Our last night in New Orleans and we thought we can’t leave without having a Po Boy, another New Orleans invention. I had shrimp with all the dressings and remoulade sauce. Tony had brisket and gravy.