Bourbon Street

We arrived back at our trailer and decided to visit the bar, sounded like a good idea at the time. We pulled up a seat and started speaking to some of the locals, they lived and worked around the area and stayed short term at the park. Then another couple walked in and not sure if it was our accent or Roses good looks but they moved seats so we could all chat. Garry and Barb were from Canada, not sure if anyone is left up there right now but we all started chatting, as you do. Rose had a red wine which came in a sealed glass, yep take the plastic cap off, remove a seal and there you have a glass of wine, no guessing how long the bottle was open, a fresh glass every time.

The next morning at ten we met the shuttle bus to take us into the French Quarter. We orientated ourselves and we set off to see the sights, first stop the French market, yep plenty to see including some Cajun cooking and don't forget those cheap souvenirs. We are feeling pretty seasoned travellers so we look and that's all, having cleaned out our unit in Australia we know how much clutter you can accumulate and we are determined not to accumulate on this trip.
The age of the buildings is remarkable considering the constant flooding that has occurred.
The French market


Some of the local architecture








Next stop Bourbon Street, still early in the day so not much happening here, so we set off to see the old cemetery full of crypts and dozens of tour guides, we figured why pay to look at something that is free, we even eaves dropped on a couple of tours to learn something, cheeky yes but what the heck!
The cemetery


We then jumped on a trolley bus to take us to the city gardens and it was further than we expected so we pretty much had to catch the same trolley back as we wanted to do the paddle steamboat at 2-30pm which takes you 6 miles up the Mississippi river and back. Some quick walking and we made it with 15 minutes to spare.
$1-50 for an all day ticket, very cheap


We got our tickets and got a tacky photo taken with a wooden ships steering wheel, you know the ones, they then try to flog a package of photos to you for $30 which you then stick in a cupboard never to be seen again, we let them take the photo it keeps them happy. We were one of the last people to board, everyone is jostling for the best seats up front, us in true Aussie fashion make for the "Texas" bar, last on the boat first in the bar! I have a massive hangover but would not be deterred so I said to the barman "what's good for a hangover" quick as a flash he says "a Bloody Mary" good I'll have one. He was right I did feel better, in fact so much better I had another one!

Nothing like a Bloody Mary to get over a hangover, cheers


We head up river and as expected all those people who rushed for seats up front are moving, they suddenly realise being up front on a boat in cool weather is not much fun so they head inside where it warm, not me I need the fresh air. The commentary on the trip was good, on the river we are in fact higher than 50% of New Orleans, no wonder it floods! It's also one of the busiest ports in the USA.


Ok paddle steamer trip done on the Mississippi River tick that one off the bucket list, now to Bourbon Street. Although it was still early the place was just starting to get busy. We have all heard of Bourbon Street New Orleans and I was no different, I was expecting bars with budding jazz musicians playing and I just wanted to listen to some good ole sole searching music.
Well to be honest I was disappointed with Bourbon Street, it was lined with "shop" front bars, strip joints, and numerous people hustling you to go into their "joint. We could not find a quiet bar to even listen to some jazz, in fact we passed two places trying to out do one another with how loud they could pump out their music! Ok I have seen enough, lets move on.



Two streets up we found what we were looking for, firstly a nice place to have some dinner. We tried something different, firstly, green sliced tomato deep fried, very nice I would eat it again, then we had some crab cakes finished off with a local fish called "red fish" blackened with Cajun spices and it was great. We then went another two blocks and found the live jazz we were looking for and if you wanted fresh oysters they shucked them right there at the bar for you. It would appear to me that the traditional part of Bourbon street has given way to cheap booze, hustler clubs and nothing more I won't be back but I would visit the many other things New Orleans has to offer.


- Posted by RnR on their IPad

Location:New Orleans Louisiana