Big Mosey in the Big Easy

New Orleans has been a destination for fun for most of my life. I intend to keep it that way. Here are a few places you don't wanna miss.

In my earliest days there, I remember the trolleys on Canal Street. They are now back there, having taken a hiatus, but tourism common sense has returned them to the two lanes down the middle, in the median. They are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its also possible to ride them on St. Charles Street, in the Garden District. I have only ridden the St. Charles St. trolleys. They are to New Orleans what cable cars are to San Francisco: Part of the scenery.

A small distinction might be in order here. Canal Street runs from City Park Road down to the river. Canal Boulevard runs from there up to Lake Ponchartrain. It was on Canal Boulevard that you actually saw a boat's wake after Hurricane Katrina. It was under 10 feet of water for nearly a month. Canal Street had some of that, too.

Anyway, New Orleans is an enchanted town, I believe. General Jackson fought for it two weeks after the war it was part of had been settled and ended. They didn't have the internet back then, you see.
Andy Jackson brought a bunch of Tennessee Volunteers down and won the Sugar Bowl- no they won the Battle of New Orleans. The battle was in 1815, and it was actually out from town, in Chalmette.

My travels there have ALWAYS included a stop at the Café Du Monde, which is French for "Café of the World". You go there, and about the only things on the menu are beignets, and whatever else you want with em. No steaks, salads, or main course here. Just the world class doughnuts you only eat when breathing out, or between breaths. They have XX confectioner's sugar on them, and its comin up your nose if you inhale while taking a bite. They actually are not donuts, but they are made of nearly the same stuff. And they are served hot, so have some OJ, water or other cool liquid around when you first get them.

Finish your beignets and drink of choice, and there's an amphitheater just 30 feet down the street toward Canal. Some acrobatic act or another is always doing something there for tips. Nice way to chill while the beignets find their way inside you. After the acts are thru, or betweeen them, go stroll the MoonWalk. Its something a mayor named Moon Landrieu (nice french name!) had built along the riverfront. At the top of the amphitheater it's a good photo shot of General Andy Jackson on his horse in, of course, Jackson Square.

If you came to town with a healthy size tourist budget, then go have a chalk painting made of yourself by one of the artists setup around the sides of Jackson Square. As you walk toward the St. Louis Cathedral, you will see some more people set up with tables all taking their turns at separating you from your money. I have seen characters in full makeup and costume in 100+ heat, August steam bath humidity, trying their best to pay the rent. This is really all over the French Quarter, one of the few places in New Orleans above sea level. Still, it flooded some anyway, after Katrina.

On the street where St. Louis Cathedral fronts, walk toward Canal Street, and on your left, you will find a restaurant called McAlpines. It has a cheeseburger to die for, with shredded cheese, flavor of choice, sprinkled on the burger. Bon Appetit. There are some more notable eating places, there, too. I just haven't had the wallet to try very many of them out.

If the Mardi Gras festivities interest you, then board the Canal Street Ferry, cross the river and go to Blain Kerns' Mardi Gras World. They'll have a van to pick you up and take you from the ferry landing to this place, but it's a DON"T MISS, for sure. At Mardi Gras World, you see the floats and costumes of the festival, as well as take in the history of it. I have taken this one in, and it will NOT disappoint! Don't know about now, but pedestrians rode the ferry free back then.

Back in the "Quatah", I recommend the Bergen Gallery on Royal Street. I met Ms. Bergen in Edinburgh, Scotland, of all places. She was there for Edinburgh's world class festival in August, and she told me to come see her next time I was in her town. I did that the next spring, and she gave me an Edinburgh Festival poster. So, drop by and say hi! to Ms. Marguerite Bergen, if you have the time. She has a good gallery of pictures and posters to choose from. Her collection is as representative of New Orleans as any in town.

Be VERY careful where you park in the quarter, at ANY hour. I was waiting for the bus at 1:30 am to go back home after a New Year's Eve night, and turned around to see a wrecker hauling a car out. Best to park in a lot, hotel or otherwise. My favorite has always been the Holiday Inn on Canal Street. Don't know the cross street, so drive down Canal and look for the Holiday Inn.

Now, to me, one of the big letdowns is the digs for the New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band. They may have a fancy venue to play in now, but when I went to hear them, I was directed to folding chairs, in a room off the street. So much for atmosphere. They were good as advertised, tho. New Orleans is the proper birthplace and home of Jazz music, for sure. Louis Armstrong is one big name in jazz, and when he wasn't smokin a joint, he was lightin one up with his jazz trumpet playing. They even finally got around to naming their airport after him. For years it was called Moisant, but they finally realized the cash value of their legacy, and re-named it after him. A little late, but they did finally honor one of their own.

Now, Fats Domino is an early name in rock music, if not other styles as well, and his piano had to be dug out of the mud when they went in after bodies after Katrina hit the city. Lower 9th Ward is on the east side of the city, and it got flooded as badly as other parts of the city. Walls simply gave in in some places. In other places the water pushed seaweed out from under pilings and came in under the canal walls.

New Orleans REALLY took a hit like it had never had before from Katrina, but the humanity of man has really made its mark. I have read of countless stories where groups from all over the country moved in and set up clinics to help out the devastated people of this town. Thing is, there is still so much to do, so, keep it coming! Best to check in with local ministries though, and see what they need first, before packing a bus and heading out without prior arrangement.

When I said mosey, its what I meant. I took you down by the river, across it, back across it, down St. Charles St on a trolley, and finally over to the Lower 9th District- now THAT's a MOSEY!