We planned this trip during the hurricane week, as there was power outage and the restoration was to take seven to ten days. So, it was the right time for a vacation and what could be better than Louisiana. I flew to New Orleans on the 1st of November.
Back to light- it was actually shocking for a moment to see the lights on, after being without power for so long. And I was so happy to find a charging point for my phone on the airport (my phone was almost dead). It is totally unbelievable how power outage can affect the way we look at things and how even normal day to day things can make us happy.
Being in New Orleans, away from all the 'sandy' mess - it was great. We decided to begin the next day, with a visit to the garden district. The first place we saw was the Lafayette cemetery - a 200-year old above-ground burial place. It was quite unusual to see above ground tombs and more so, some of those even had many generations of a family together in the same tomb. It was a completely different experience.
Lafayette Cemetery
After spending some time there, we walked out to the garden
district. It is definitely one of the most beautiful places, with palatial
mansions built in Greek revival and Italianate architectural styles. It was a
stroll through history- magnificent houses, long French windows and lush
manicured gardens which looked perfectly ready for a party. And there were also
houses of celebrities who have lived in the district like author Anne Rice, the
Mannings etc.
We clicked some great pictures and drove around the lower garden
district as well. It is for sure one of the best places to visit when in New
Orleans. But of-course, nothing can beat the French quarters.
Garden District Gallery
Next, we headed to the famous French quarters - cobblestone
streets with decorated overlooking balconies, it looked unreal. It reminded me
of the beautiful Savannah, a British colony during 18th century; it
also has the same feel, great architecture and beautiful houses. And one of my
friend also told me - 'If you liked Savannah so much, you'll love New Orleans'
and that came out to be true.
We drove through the narrow lanes overcrowded with
people and found a good public parking few blocks away from the 'Party Street'.
Well, am referring to world famous 'Bourbon Street', the place to be
in New Orleans. We walked by the mysterious alleys to the brightly-lit party
street and there we were amidst the maddening crowd. People were dancing,
singing, drinking and throwing beads from the balconies; it felt like we have
suddenly landed on a movie set.
The sound of jazz music, laughter and clinking beads - it
was the sound of enjoyment. Everyone was lost in themselves, I have never seen
a more lively place than this. We had a jolly good time walking on the street, collecting beads and dancing to the jazzy tunes. Spent quite some time there, clicked some funny pictures and got in line for dinner @ Desire Oyster Bar. We had to wait for about 15 minutes to get in the crowded restaurant.
Then, it was time to try the cajun & creole cuisine and we ordered 'jambalaya' and 'crawfish Etouffee'. The food was so flavorful and different from any other cuisine we had ever tried. And it was a perfect finish for our day, we left for hotel after enjoying this delectable meal.
I would recommend everyone to visit bourbon street at least once, to experience the craziness of this 'party street'.
Then, it was time to try the cajun & creole cuisine and we ordered 'jambalaya' and 'crawfish Etouffee'. The food was so flavorful and different from any other cuisine we had ever tried. And it was a perfect finish for our day, we left for hotel after enjoying this delectable meal.
I would recommend everyone to visit bourbon street at least once, to experience the craziness of this 'party street'.