The Big Easy

We had been in New Orleans barely 2 hours before Tropical Storm (is this a polite way of saying hurricane?) Allison hit.  The first rain started while we were happily ensconced in Pere Antoine's eating alligator.  Little did we know that this was just a forewarning of what was to come!

By the way, the alligator was yummy - sort of like reptilian chicken!

    One of the buildings in the Vieux Carre - the French Quarter of New Orleans.  Like most of the historic cities we visited there were horse and buggy tours.  We've managed to avoid doing one yet!

    Detail from the ornate wrought iron work on a balcony.  The most beautiful of these seemed to be on Royal St, home to dozens of New Orleans' art galleries.

    Looking down Bourbon St toward the Central Business District.  Bourbon St is pretty empty during the day, but absolutely packed at night.

    Sculptures on a balcony on Royal St.  Art gallery below of course!

    Courtyard garden in the Vieux Carre.

    Dauphine St in the Vieux Carre.  Much less ornate and grand than Royal St.

    Jackson Square.  This used to be the Place des Armes, until it was renovated after the Louisiana Purchase.

    Mardi Gras mask shop sign.

    Maison Bourbon during the day

    Maison Bourbon at night.  We spent two very enjoyable evenings here listening to some great jazz.  We also went to some other bars along Bourbon St, but didn't make it to Preservation Hall due to weather.  Maybe next time!

    The jazz band at Maison Bourbon.  The trumpeter is Jamil Sharif, who had a very professional show together.

    Jamil Sharif in action.

    Bourbon St at night!

    Another Bourbon St bar.

    Excellent lightshades in a New Orleans gallery.  I've yet to find their website, but when I do I'll post it here.

    Antoine's.  The grand dame of New Orleans' restaurants.  New Orleans is definately a culinary oasis in the general desert of American cuisine.  We had excellent food there at all the restaurants we visited.  Our favourites were Antoine's and Broussard's.

    The mighty Mississippi from the Moon Walk, New Orleans.

    Lafayette Cemetery no 1.  Carrying on the cemetery theme from Savannah, the ones at New Orleans are pretty interesting because everyone is buried above ground in vaults.  Apparently this is because a lot of New Orleans is actually below sea level.  In really bad weather (like we had), coffins buried below ground had a habit of floating up and away with the floods!

    New Orleans Police Department.

    Ken dolls in drag.

    Street band in Jackson Square.

    The bass player is prepared for the rain!

    Lafitte's blacksmith shop.  A bar in New Orleans that was apparently the haunt of the Lafitte brothers, who were notorious pirates.  I'm not sure if it was ever actually a blacksmith's shop!

    A streetcar not called Desire.  Unfortunately the Desire line no longer runs, so we couldn't get a picture of the most famous streetcar in literature!  There is a bus line of that name, but 'A bus named Desire' doesn't have quite the same ring!