We survived
the trailer park and after a quick grocery shop we headed to New Orleans. A
nice RV park near the Mississippi River with a shuttle bus service into town.
After settling in and having a late lunch we headed into the French Quarter to
look around.
The taxi
wound its way through the narrow streets behind mule carriages, bicycle taxis
and foot traffic to the point when the driver told us it was easier and quicker
for us to get out and walk. He dropped us on Bourbon st, the notorious party
street, and the party was in full swing. Like Vegas, the drunken tourists lurch
from bar to bar swigging from large fishbowls of brightly coloured rocket fuel,
while locals relieve them of their money in every possible way. We escaped by
buying a New Orleans baseball cap for $15 and bolted down a side street.
Once
we found our way to the waterfront we found a mule carriage tour and jumped
aboard, to get our bearings and some background on the city.
The French
Quarter is actually mostly Spanish architecture, thanks to several devastating
fires in the late 1700s, although many of the buildings show French influences.
There are alleyways, wrought iron balconies, tiled roofs, and picturesque
courtyards. The buildings are mostly right on the footpaths, with
balconies on the second and third levels where the residents sit to drink and
take in the sea breezes. The courtyards are behind the buildings and usually
have a fountain and overhanging wisteria or small trees providing little oases
from the streets. So many beautiful buildings!
After the carriage
tour we took in the relative calm of Royal St, before settling on a wonderful
courtyard restaurant called Café Amelie for an early dinner. The courtyard was
lit by flickering torches and the furniture was antique French elegance. Ros
had duck and Steve had a pasta with local seafood and sausage – both were
delicious!
Back to the
RV for an early night.
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