I just came back from the best trip ever: New Orleans.  It was part business trip, so I went  by myself and stayed 6 days in the city.  What made New Orleans so great was the awesome food, rich culture and the friendly people.

Here’s part 1 of my day by day summary:

Saturday:
Arrived in the afternoon and rode a taxi without an a/c.  It was about a 20 minute ride to my hotel to the Garden District.  Weather was humid but not bad.  Checked in real quick and asked the front desk about the D-Day Museum.  It was only a couple of blocks from my hotel so I walked to the museum.  Took me about 10 minutes.  The museum covered every detail of D-Day from the weapons used, to the diversions the Allies made.  The last third of the museum covered the Pacific Theatre.  I liked the propaganda posters from both sides, pretty much showed me both weren’t politically correct.

Street I passed by on my way to the museum

Entrance to the museum

Conflict about to escalate

Diorama of the massive D-Day attack

Propaganda by Manga

I stayed for a couple of hours at the museum.  As I left, I asked the guards where the street car(they don’t call it a trolley or a cable car) was located so I can go to the French Quarter. They pointed me in the right direction but I didn’t know where the cars would stop.  I saw a couple of street cars but they just passed by me.  I started walking around the street and noticed that no one was around me, it was pretty empty and the buildings were abandoned.  This worried me and I started backtracking.  I noticed 2 people hanging out and asked them if it was the stop for the street car.  They tell me it is so I wait.  But then they leave without saying anything.  I talk to a local on a bike and he confirms that it is the right stop.  We start talking about New Orleans food and he made suggestions.  The street car came and he even made sure I got on.  Very nice guy.

On my way to Uptown

I got on and noticed that instead of going downtown to the French Quarter, I was going Uptown.  I rode the line til the end and it took a good 30 minutes.  Riding the street car was one of my favorite activities on the trip because it was very relaxing and for $1.25, you can’t beat the deal.  You pass through the Business district, the Garden district,  Audubon Zoo and a couple of universities.  I asked the driver how long it would take to get to the French Quarter and she said about 40 minutes.  Oh well, I’ll just take more pictures on my way to back.

My private ride on the way back

After relaxing in the street car for about 40 minutes, I finally get to the French Quarter.   I walked through Bourbon Street and noticed that it’s definitely a place for partying.  People are walking around with beers, strip clubs everywhere(with nasty looking girls trying to get you in) and everybody in a festive mood.  I walked for about 30 minutes and took pictures.

Canal St on the way to Bourbon

I decided to eat at Acme Oyster House since I heard good things about it.  The couple behind me asked me to take a picture for them.  We start chatting and it turned out they were from Mississippi.  They were nice enough to invite me to their table for dinner.  They told me it was their second time in 2 nights at the restaurant.  Food here must be really good.

I got what they reccomended: chargrilled oysters and the seafood platter, which had shrimp, oysters and catfish.  The oysters were the best, it had butter and some other ingredients that made it flavorful and juicy.  The seafood platter was okay, since everything was fried, the seafood pretty much tasted the same.  After dinner, we say our goodbyes and they recommend I go to the Harrah’s casino and check out the club.  Thanks for dinner Harold and Ayana!

Bourbon Street

Biker bar

Chargrilled oysters

Seafood Platter

Ayana and Harold

I walk a good 15 minutes to the Casino.  Once I get in, I go straight to the club,  Masquerade.  There was no cover fee and they were showing the Pacquaio/Hatton fight. YES!  Surprisingly no bars on Bourbon Street was showing it.  I wait about an hour before the main event starts.  Once the fight starts, the crowd goes wild.  Most root for the Pac Man, which surprised me.  I thought it would be about 50/50.  It was a short fight and everyone was energized from beginning to end.  After the fight, I call it a night and go back to my hotel room.  I decide to grab a taxi since it was late at night and I wasn’t too familiar with the place.

Masquerade, Pac Man on tv

Sunday:
I go to the front desk around 8:30 am and ask the clerk, about the swamp tour.  He said I was too late for the first tour,  the next one available was at 12pm and I would get picked up by the shuttle around 10:30 am.  I grab a quick bite and get back on board the street car.  I noticed joggers running along the tracks and moving out of the way the last second out of the car.  That’s pretty damn ballsy but everyone acted like it was normal.  I stop by the Audubon Zoo Park.  I spend about an hour in the park taking pictures and then go back to my hotel. Being into photography will take you to a lot of places because you always want to explore and don’t want to waste your time just staying in the hotel room.  I talk to a couple who went to Jazz Fest for the past 3 days.  Damn, that’s hardcore dedication but more power to them.  My plan was to attend Jazz Fest later on the day.

Statue at Audubon Park

Church next to the park

Brian, the shuttle driver picks me up from the hotel and told me we had several more stops to make before going to the swamp.  Next ones picked up were Rodney, Jamal and the other guy’s name I forget.  All of us started talking about the Pacquiao fight and basketball.  They said they were also going on the airboat tour like I was.  Brian was telling crazy ass stories on the way to the swamp that had everyone on the shuttle laughing.  Very funny guy.

Brian in his shuttle

Once we got there, we board the airboat and put on our cool looking earmuffs.  At first it was really boring because the airboat was going really slow.  But once we cleared from other boats, it started speeding.  Now this is fun!  We stopped several times to get a look at the gorgeous views and learn about the swamps and check out wild alligators.

$50 gator heads

Do you see it?

Weeeeee!

Towards the end, we stopped again and the driver busts out a baby gator.  This made Jamal jump because it was right next to him.  Hahaha.  We were able to pet the baby gator and take a picture with it.  Jamal still didn’t want anything to do with it. 

Baby gator

Jamal on the left.  Haha

We approve!

Afterwards, we go back to the shuttle where Brian had more funny stories.  I get dropped off by my co worker’s hotel because we were planning to go to the Jazz Fest together.  They decided they wanted to go on a city tour instead.  I agree to go with them but I didn’t have lunch yet.  I was planning to eat at Jazz Fest but this changed the plan.  I go back to Acme Oysterhouse because it was the only restaurant I was familiar with.

I order a po boy to go and eat it at the hotel lobby.  Po boy is freaking awesome, seems so simple: fried shrimp, oysters, catfish on a bread with lettuce and tomato but it was damn good.  I think the bread complemented well with the main ingredients.  I had a hard time finishing it.  In New Orleans, they give you large portions.

Po Boy…mmmmm

After the meal, we hopped on the cab for the city tour.  Our driver was Walter G and after going through Bourbon Street, he took us to the most heavily hit area by Katrina, the 9th ward.  What surprised me the most was the vast emptiness of the area.  Out of every three blocks, you’ll be lucky to see one house standing.  It was a pretty eerie feeling and it’s easy to understand why no one is going back to rebuild, there’s just no economy. 

Some new houses were being built  6 feet from the ground just in case another storm will hit.  These houses actually looked futuristic.

On the way to the 9th Ward

Lone house on the block

Organization helping out the victims

One of the newer houses being built

As we were leaving the 9th Ward, Walter told us we just passed by his house and it was also hit during Katrina.  He said he lives about an hour away from New Orleans now.  Luckily, he had flood insurance so he was able to buy a new home.  He said he had friends that didn’t get the insurance and didn’t get compensation when Katrina hit.  This was the most emotional part of the trip and it gave me a new perspective of New Orleans.  People think of New Orleans as a party city but after the tour, it made me realize how tragic the event was.  You see it on on tv but it’s not the same as seeing it in person.   Once you’re there, it hits you pretty hard.

Family settling in

Afterwards, we were shown the St. Louis cemetery where the Voodoo queen, Marie Laveau was buried.  We couldn’t get in because the cemetery was closed.  After that, we went through the Garden District since my co workers didn’t get a chance to check out the place.  We also passed through Magazine Street where all the hip and trendy shops were at.

After the tour, I go back to my hotel for a nap.  Met up with my co workers in their hotel again and we ate at NOLA, which is owned by Emeril Lagasse.  We were seated on the second floor and I have to admit, it was delicious.  I got the Cajun salad which was a bit spicy but I can still taste the sweetness of the dressing.  I followed it up with Shrimp N Grits.  The salty grits complimented well with the tangy shrimp.  Very well done.  I’ve never been to a place this expensive before and I must say, if you got the money, it’s totally worth it.  The bill came out to about $75 per person, good thing I wasn’t paying for it =) (I wasn’t able to take pictures of the food because I left the camera at the hotel).

Bourbon Street on a Sunday night

Afterwards, we go to Bourbon Street but it wasn’t busy at all.  I didn’t notice this til a couple of days later but I guess in New Orleans, nobody really goes out on Sundays, most locals just stay home and relax.  After bar hopping for several hours we call it a night.

End of Part 1

Next week, I’ll continue my recap when I visit the plantation tour, see a couple of celebs and hang out with my new Texas buddies.

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