Let the good times roll in New Orleans
Back in the early 1960’s one of my favourite sing-a-long hit songs played over Medicine Hat’s then only radio station was “The Battle of New Orleans” sung by Johnny Horton.
It was that song, the August 2005 Hurricane Katrina flood and Bourbon Street that made me decide to visit New Orleans.
Famous for its Mardi Gras revelry, French Quarter, Creole hospitality, New Orleans with its jazz legacy and an elevation of only 11 feet, has become a popular tourist destination.
When I arrived after their recent Hurricane Cindy, I booked two tours at my Prince Conti Hotel located just off Bourbon Street.
On my four-hour Swamp Tour, a high-speed airboat weaved my group through the back bayous of the Honey Island Swamp about an hour southwest of New Orleans. The feeding of the alligators and seeing them lurking by our boat at arms-length was the highlight of this tour.
While enjoying the threehour city/cemetery tour from our air-conditioned minibus we travelled through the French Quarter, witnessed the rebuilding of the historic Ninth Ward devastated by Hurricane Katrina and walked among the mausoleums and tombs of New Orleans’ old cemeteries. Throughout the week my favourite lunch eatery was a place called Café du Monde (est.1862). This 24hour open-air café serves warm beignets and delicious chicory coffee. These fried squares of dough are light-as-air French donuts dusted with powdered sugar. Have one and you’ll be begging for more.
From my table at Café du Monde, across from Jackson Square, I watched street performers, fortune tellers and balloon artists doing their trade.
My evenings were spent walking down Bourbon Street observing jazz musicians, costumed characters and buskers.
My last adventure on this visit was a scenic three-hour cruise on the Paddlewheeler Natchez up the muddy Mississippi River.
New Orleans, also known as “The Big Easy” is well worth a visit.