N'Orleans

The trip to New Orleans was definitely kicked off with a bang. Obviously, if you're spending a few days in a place you want to get your bearings as quickly as possible. A handy way to do this is to go on an organised tour - but what if the tour was going to different pubs, getting cocktails and bringing them along for the walk? Sold! And so the first thing I did in New Orleans was a cocktail tour of the city.

Mario making some Pims Cups at our first stop

Not only were we brought to the home of some of the worlds most famous cocktails, but our guide was a fountain of information about the city and it's history. It was as good a city tour as you could get, and we got to drink cocktails along the way, a win-win situation.

Francois eagerly anticipating some Absinthe!

After the tour, I headed to a gig nearby with Francois, one of the guys from the cocktail tour. He knew of a really good New Orleans jazz band that were playing that night. We headed to the D.B.A. bar on Frenchman St. (one of the street's known for good music in the city). We saw Glen David Andrews and his band, and they were phenomenal. It was a typical example of some of the talented musicians that come out of New Orleans.

Glen David Andrews at D.B.A.

 It was here that I began to realize that I may not be able to keep up with Francois. For every pint we ordered, he got a scotch to go along with it - and this is the same night of the cocktail tour! After the show we headed across the road to another jazz gig - there's live music everywhere in this town. After another beer or two, I accepted defeat, told Francois he had broken an Irishman, put myself in a cab and headed to bed!

Over the next two days I caught up on all the tourist sights that New Orleans has to offer. Starting with coffee and beignets (New Orleans style freshly made square doughnuts) at Cafe do Monde.

Coffee and Beignets -  a true New Orleans Breakfast

 Wandering around New Orleans is pretty different to any other US city I've been in. The French Quarter has some really cool old Spanish architecture (it may be called the French Quarter, but after numerous fires and the Spanish taking over the city, there's nothing much French left about it).

Jackson Square is right in the middle of the French Quarter, with the impressive St. Louis Cathedral.

Jackson Square - St. Louis Cathedral in the background

Another fascinating part of the city are the old cemeteries, where all the tombs are above ground.

St Louis Cemetery #1

During the few days in New Orleans, I saw most of the city, and the highlights were definitely the French Quarter, and probably the Garden District, which has lots of old plantation houses. I also got to the New Orleans Superdome which was used as a shelter for about 35,000 people after Hurricane Katrina.

The New Orleans Superdome - the largest fixed domed structure in the world

And of course, you can't talk about New Orleans, without mentioning Bourbon St. This street runs through the French Quarter and is the hub of nightlife in the city. There's a ridiculous amount of bars and gig venues, with no set closing hours. The place is pretty lively all day long, and at night time it's one huge party. Drinks are sold in plastic cups as there's no open-container law in New Orleans, so you can parade the streets with your poison of choice.

Bourbon St

At the end of my stay in New Orleans I was really impressed with the city. The combination of the people, the food (I even ate alligator a few times) and the amazing music seen make this a city well worth the visit.

Next stop, Austin Texas...

More pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/105659496923832797916/NewOrleans#