I’m wishing, now, that we had given ourselves more time to explore New Orleans. I would also suggest having somewhat of a plan already laid out for your day of tourism. We pretty much went on a whim, and found ourselves kind of lost at first.
It was my birthday the day we visited New Orleans, which is why you’ll see a few single photos of me. Jon was forced to hone in on what photography skills he has and take some nice pictures of me since I always seem to be the one behind the camera.
Due to our giant truck, we were forced to park in a parking lot that was probably farther away than what we would have liked. We hopped on a street car and took a ride up towards the French Quarter. Or so we thought. We wound up on the wrong street car, and ended up being dropped off at a not-so-good part of town. We couldn’t help but laugh. We’re so not city people.
We finally made our way to the French Quarter. Our first stop? Cafe Du Monde, where snagged some tasty beignets and a cup of joe. I’m fairly certain there’s no pretty way to eat their beignets. As tasty as they are, they sure do make quite the mess with all the powdered sugar they top them with. And don’t let the “Cafe” in the name fool you. The loud, hustle-bustle atmosphere leave little quiet time for reading or catching up on computer work. It truly is touristy. And if you get there are wondering if the wait in line is worth it…yes, yes it is. The line moves fairly quickly, anyway, and you’ll be chowing down on your white-coated pastries in no time.
And another word from the wise, don’t waste your appetite all in one place. We came across so many amazing places who’s food smelled way too good to ignore.
If you’re looking for some good entertainment, Jackson Square would be the easiest place to look. Street performers and musicians abound here. But honestly, would you expect anything less from a vibrant, artsy city such as New Orleans?
With every corner you turn, you’ll see amazing rot iron railings with ornate designs, and bright, colorful homes painted with teal, pink, and purple. You can just feel the culture here. I almost feel like I didn’t take enough photos; there was so much to see and take in.
In the afternoon, we boarded another street car (the correct one this time), and made our way to Greenwood Cemetery. If you’re not familiar with the cemeteries in New Orleans, they are magnificent. Aboveground tombs dating anywhere from present time all the way back to the 1800’s. The gorgeous stonework with weeds and vines growing out through the crevices, and broken off pieces from years of wear. They’re almost elegant in a way. If you can appreciate the beauty of an old cemetery, any one of New Orlean’s cemeteries are a must-see.
By this point, the sun was so hot, and my feet were so tired from walking. We decided to head back into the city to find some shade and fill our bellies with one last meal before heading home.
We found ourselves back at the French Quarter enjoying some free entertainment by this amazing band. I could have listened to them all day. But our bellies were growling, and Jon didn’t want to leave without having had gumbo. And well, restaurants with gumbo are certainly not hard to come by there. We came across a restaurant called the Gumbo Shop, and thought that would hit the spot; and did it ever. It was on the smaller side as far as restaurants go, but very quaint with an open air seating area. Their gumbo hit the spot, and this birthday girl even ordered wine! Hint: I’m way more of a beer kinda gal.
Our day in the city was a bit rushed. So if you’re thinking of visiting New Orleans, I would definitely suggest leaving yourself a few days to see all the sights. We were just passing through, so we made the best of it. An awesome city with amazing character and history. Definitely worth putting on the Bucket List. (two thumbs up)