New Orleans, May 21–25
Anybody who’s been to New Orleans knows it’s a city full of vibrant colours and characters, a confluence of influences and cultures that comes together to form a simmering cauldron of style, attitude and flair. We walked all over town, from our Bywater base to Magazine Street, Frenchman Street and the famed French Quarter.
The latter wasn’t our cup of tea, and seeing it rather empty in the glow of day didn’t do it any favours. But the rest of the city certainly had plenty to offer.
In addition to a spirited community, so much of the city’s vibe comes through in the facades of its buildings, featuring old signage and art as well as more contemporary contributions.
The vibrancy of the city is also of course showcased through the jazz music flowing out of the doors of many an establishment. We got our fix on the aforementioned Frenchman Street at The Spotted Cat. We were treated to a set by the phenomenal Shotgun Jazz Band, as well as a bit of an education on the local scene by a New Orleans lifer.
Food highlights included:
- A breakfast featuring grits and candied bacon from the famous Elizabeth’s
- A strong po’ boy from Guy’s Po-Boys (somehow we only had one?!), which served as a just reward for covering massive swathes of Magazine Street and St. Charles Avenue on foot
- Some fantastic fare from Pizza Delicious with our handsome and willing city guide, cousin Louis
- A sandwich and some primo deviled eggs from Turkey and the Wolf
We did venture outside the city limits at the urging of some friends who live/have lived in New Orleans, hopping aboard a boat and taking a Cajun Pride Swamp Tour. Our seasoned guide Danny tooled us around the swamp, talking to us about some of the gators patrolling to water. Although a bit tame, the weather was nice and Danny was quite the cajun character.
All in all not a bad few days in the Big Easy!
