Thursday, 11 April 2019
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Always wanted to visit New Orleans since watching Live and Let Die as a kid. It lives up to its reputation.
Catch the restored tram to Canal Street which trundles along the river front. Today is the start of the French Quarter Music Festival which we’ll visit later today.
Canal Street delineates the infamous French Quarter from the rest of New Orleans. Across the other side is the Warehouse District which is pretty tame and upmarket, full of advertising companies and architects. That sort of area. At the end of it is the American World War 2 Museum. How America saved the world. Interesting exhibition on the Pacific theatre which I don’t know too much about. The 4D film narrated by Tom Hanks is quite good. Not done a 4D film before. The chairs vibrate so you’re given a feel for what it’s like flying a bomber and riding in a tank, plus there’s smoke and lighting effects. Has given me some ideas for the theatre. Ask an old codger guide the way to an exhibit. After he’s explained the way, he tells me, “You look like me.” Don’t see the resemblance myself. I’m 50 years younger. In addition to the 4D film, there’s the USS Tang experience to do. The Tang was the most successful US submarine but it shot itself in the foot. Literally. After firing a torpedo towards a Japanese ship, the torpedo broached and curved left coming back in a circle and blowing up the submarine, from which it had been fired. The Tang experience is meant to give you an idea of what it was like to be in a submarine in battle. It’s dreadful and there’s no sense whatsoever.
A number of aircraft are hoisted in the air supported from wires, including a B17 Flying Fortress, under the name of ‘My Gal Sal’. I know you’re reading this, so thought of you.
Across the road is the Civil War Museum, set in the old 19th century Confederate Memorial Hall. You’ll be learning about the American Civil War next week, so won’t go into too much detail now. Suffice to say, Louisiana was part of the Confederate States of the Deep South who fought against the Unionists of the North, who opposed the expansion of slavery. Interesting artefacts until you remember that you have antiques at home older.
Now for the French Quarter. After a sedate morning. Be prepared. It’s a frenzy.
What an assault on the senses as you walk into Bourbon Street. It’s loud, brash, grungy, grimy and full of pissed up, drugged up people. Getting high myself as I walk along.
Bourbon Street is the famous street that runs down the middle of the French Quarter. Full of bars, a few strip joints, grungy looking restaurants and loud music.
Oh.
And voodoo stores.
Lots of voodoo stores.
Very Live and Let Die.
Many of the bars have live music but quite amusing to see the unpopular bars completely empty of people but the band playing on to earn their money. There’s a real mix of people here and every other person seems to be drinking in the streets holding a plastic tube with a plastic hand grenade shaped base. This appears to be the local cocktail of choice. All the bars are selling hand grenade cocktails. Not that I want one, but nip into a kiosk that’s selling the stuff and ask what it is. Am given a taste. Wow. That’s alcoholic. And blue. No wonder people are staggering about. Ask if I can take her photo and she duly poses with two cups. Her ‘bar’ was obviously an alleyway between two buildings which has been converted. It’s that narrow.
The strange thing is that a few blocks away from the garish Bourbon Street, some of the streets are actually quite nice and upmarket with decent bars and restaurants alongside quiet residential streets. The contrast is startling and reminds me of the old town in Panama City.
The music festival is in full swing this afternoon and there are many sound stages dotted around the French Quarter and along the parks next to the mighty Mississippi river. A wide expanse of muddy river. Interesting to note that the river level is well above the level of the French Quarter. No wonder it causes so much damage when the levees breach. Great atmosphere at the various concerts but interesting to see that the audience is generally white and middle aged.
Walking up Frenchman Street, famed for its many bars, an argument breaks out between a middle aged white man and young black kid, who had been interrupting a conversation between white man and his friends. White man shouts angrily, “Excuse me, we are having a private conversation!” Black kid gets lippy.
Expecting guns to be drawn. Put a scurry on.
Retreat to the leafy suburbs of Marigny where the hotel is. A nice suburb with wooden houses, painted in a variety of pastel colours. Nice feel to it and far removed from the attitude of the French Quarter.
Forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog. Yet another freebie. Ordered a whisky Old Fashioned cocktail in the bar last night. Finish it and enquire as to which whisky it was, out of interest. Told it was actually Bourbon, so ask for the next one with Scotch whisky (as I had done the first time), as I don’t like Bourbon. Given the second one and told the first one with bourbon is on the house.
What?!
Really?!
America. Stop doing this.
