NEW ORLEANS, THE BIG EASY, NOLA

(NK) The big easy is one of America’s oldest cities, but we found a big melting pot of a port town that really knows how to party.

We arrived in New Orleans not quite knowing what to expect. Our guesthouse was a B&B in the Marigny area, which is just next to the famous French Quarter.

We’d be lying if we said we weren’t pleased to see a bed again after a week of camping. Having an ensuite bathroom and lightswitches again felt like luxury.  The Crescent City Inn owned by Matthew and Lynn turned out to be the perfect location and our hosts couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful. And New Orleans… it blew us away.

Friday

We arrived at 3pm and decided to get straight into the mix and wandered down Decateur St towards the French Market. After a PO Boy sandwich and some Gumbo we grabbed a frozen Margarita and wandered along the banks of the ‘Muzzuzippi.’ The open cup laws in New Orleans mean you can carry drink in and out of bars and drink while you are walking. Being out of practice with the boozing, this was to be our downfall.

The French Market

Feeling a little tipsy from some seriously strong Margaritas it was on the banks of the Mississippi that I was scammed for the first time on this trip. It probably won’t be the last but I doubt anyone will do it again whilst making me laugh so hard. Scene went like this:

Enter young African American male.

Man: Hey brother, how are you today?

Me: We’re good thanks

Man: Oh, where you from?

Me: England

Man: Hey they some nice shoes, I bet you I know where you got doze shoes.

I bought these shoes in England, obviously he didn’t know. Can you see it coming? I fell completely into this trap.

Me: Erm, I bet you don’t.

Man: I know exactly where you got ‘em.

Me: I bet you don’t

Man: Ok, if I can guess. Then you gotta let me give you a shine. Hey, you an honest man, let’s make a deal on this? If I guess you gotta let me shine.

Me (drunken idiot): If you can guess that you can have them.

Man: (laughs) just a shine will do brother, OK, you ready? I don’t care where you bought them, purchased em, stole em from, who you borrowed em off. I asked you were you got ‘em and you got ‘em on you feet. Now get your shoe up on my knee.

What followed was a number of tales about his five kids and various cowboys that he charged extra because of their big boots. “That’ll be 10 for the shine and 10 for the lesson.”  Many more tried that weekend but I was more than happy to respond with, “I bet you do!”

The rest of the night we wandered down the raucous Bourbon St, which was full of the party atmosphere and massive 24oz cocktails. Bit full on with its tacky neons and crazy 3 for 1 drinks offers but it had to be done. What’s that? Oh, it’s a naked woman riding a mechanical bull, a crazy stoned man called Donald and other related sights.

By the time we reached the other end of Bourbon St we were absolutely trollied beyond any clear memory for me to recall much else. I do remember and I’m ashamed to say, we were passed out in bed by 9.30pm after an oyster burger on Frenchman St (and another Hurricane).

Saturday

After a long nights sleep/alcohol induced coma, we were feeling surprisingly spritely and on a recommendation from our new friend Mr Jim Gipson we went for brunch at The Country Club , located in the Bywater. It was Fiona’s birthday so we intended to start it in style.

Say cheese! After our 8th Mimosa!

(FK) Jim’s recommendation did come with a “take a towel, it’s nude swimming in the back and it’s quite a delight!” Said with an all knowing wink to Neil. I wasn’t feeling quite that fresh, so put on a party frock and some slap, my first face in over a week.

The County Club Brunch 

(NK) Just a little note about Mr Jim Gipson and his partner Bill, they came with the best recommendations all weekend. Upon leaving they gave us an address and simply said, if you’re ever nearby, in trouble, out of money or just need a place to stay you’ll be welcome here with us. And it’s not like that before anyone starts, they were just very genuine lovely people.

The walk through Marigny to get to the Country Club was quite special and the houses all had different quirks and intricacies that had Fiona snapping away. The brunch was something else. The bottomless Mimosas (posh for Bucks Fizz) were back but the food was spectacular and by far the best we’ve had since being in the States. We were even given a big plastic cup of Mimosa each for our walk back to the French Quarter. I think that was to be our undoing... again. The rest of the day is just another drunken blur involving Hurricanes, frozen Margaritas, line dancing to rap music with some locals and more Oysters.

Bywater Neighbourhood and a drunk Neil 

Building obssession

They like flags in NOLA!

(FK) Well that’s entirely true, I ended up going for a disco nap to refresh mysleft for the night ahead, however I passed out for 4 hours, woke up in daze and Neil had been putting the world to rights with Jim and Bill. Not one for missing out I managed to get my drunk/hung over self together and we went out for dinner. The rest of the night I spent pucking! I will never learn, even at 35!!

Sunday

We were determined to stay sober and get some culture in on Sunday. Fi was feeling a bit worse for wear so I took a walk to the above ground cemetery to visit the grave of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau. It’s a spectacular cemetery and a good warm up for the historical ghost (FK and vampires!!) tour we went on that night.

Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau tomb

 We needed to eat first and our new friends had strongly recommended the Gumbo Shop. Our no booze policy was soon drowned by a Hurricane and a Cajun Bloody Mary and again the food was amazing. Shrimp Creole and Crawfish Etouffee hit the spot and readied us for a night with ghosts and stuff.

My unanswered question of the weekend - what came first Forrest Gump or Bubba Gump Shrimp Co?!

Being a port town at the centre of slavery, the civil war and various disease outbreaks has given New Orleans a rich history of ghosts, vampires and Voodoo both old and more recent. It would seem that some of the more grand houses in the French Quarter are cursed, specifically one Nicholas Cage bought before he had trouble with the IRS. There’s even a Vampire hangout bar called The Dungeon if you’re into that sort of thing. Fiona nearly was until I changed her mind.

We capped off our stay with some live bands and a taco on Frenchman St, which is known as the Bourbon St for the locals. It’s a much more sophisticated night out with plenty of that New Orleans soul.

It poured down with rain the whole weekend but that doesn’t stop anyone in New Orleans. If anything it makes them more determined to get drunk and have a good time. The bars are full of bands and live music and the street corners are always throwing up surprise performances. Nothing can really dampen the spirits here and it’s stolen the place from New York for being our favourite city and one we will be back to.

Some culture, Rodrigue's famous Blue Dog (I didn't know this at the time of taking it though!)