The Big Easy

Our entry into New Orleans was greeted by a rainbow in the sky. Knowing that Tropical Storm Karen was looming somewhere in the Gulf, I took that as a good sign. As we came closer to the city, I was struck by the skyline, by the number of tall buildings and by the very corporate presence along its avenues. Perhaps I was naive in thinking that the Big Easy would be more low-keyed. However, it did not take long to find the charm and intrigue that is this city.

We have been to Broadway in Nashville, Beale Street in Memphis, 6th Street in Austin, and now Bourbon Street in New Orleans. They all resonate with great music and each lays claim to an edgy vibe. Their streets are filled with people celebrating (Celebrating may be an understatement for many.)  If a vote were taken, I would give Bourbon Street first place for revelry. Unlike Beale Street, Bourbon has almost no visible police presence and the venues are a lot racier. Some friends and family members kept texting us to watch our belongings, to be careful, to stay safe. I started to feel like the college freshman being warned of the dangers of the big bad world. (I must confess that it is a good idea to be cautious on Bourbon Street.)

Happy to report that we survived Bourbon Street. In fact, on that very street, we had a fabulous dinner at Red Fish - where Terry claims he had the best crab cake he ever ate. We heard some terrific music at Musical Legends Park. Returning the following night (yes, we did return) we stopped into Maison Bourbon, one of the oldest jazz venues, and once again heard some fabulous music.

Our Guide Randy

Wanting to see as much of New Orleans as we could, we took a Hop On/Hop Off tour - directed by our colorful guide, Randy. Randy was born and raised in New Orleans and gave us an insider's view of his city. He taught us phrases used to hide a verbal slight. As in, "She is dressed all wrong, bless her heart; she can't help it." He mentioned that New Orleanians do not have a Southern Accent, but sound something like New Yorkers. Randy spoke of the little-known influence that German settlers had on New Orleans. He instructed us on the difference between Creole and Cajun. Creoles are the descendants of the original colonial settlers.Cajuns are the descendants of those French speaking refugees who were resettled by the British from Acadia. Randy had so much information to impart, I was afraid there would be a quiz at the end of the tour.

St. Louis Cathedral

We, of course, spent time in the rest of the French Quarter: visited St. Louis Cathedral (oldest cathedral in North America); strolled among the sidewalk artists (bought some gyclees); had beignets and cafe au lait; and admired the rows of filigree-enhanced homes. Unfortunately, our beignets were not from Cafe du Monde. (It was 90 degrees and the line was a mile long.) I also missed a Banana Foster and a Muffaletta - so little time - next trip.

We capped off our New Orleans experience by following a suggestion from a local shop keeper about a place for dinner with one night left: Muriel's. And what great advice it was. The meal was wonderful, the atmosphere was lovely and the service was very good (even though Carey, our server was a bit of a diva). It was the perfect choice to close out our trip to the Crescent City.