“Big Easy” Does it at NOLA.
A few days in New Orleans, Louisiana, aka the Big Easy, left me wanting more of what it has to offer. But for now, a quick overview of what we saw, did and,of course, what we ate. Come to NOLA hungry because there are lots of opportunities to eat.
Our trip took us to this city in mid-February so we weren’t there for the infamous Mardi Gras celebration. But preparations were in full swing. Bleachers were being erected. Hurricane fence was in place in front of many homes and businesses along the parade routes as much to keep spectators out as to protect the structures. Truth be told, it must get pretty wild and rowdy during this party-spectacular.
Many homes and businesses were decorated with the traditional colors of Mardi Gras:
Purple — Justice
Gold — Wealth
Green — Faith
Aside from all the partying during Mardi Gras, there is a religious basis for this celebration. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” the day before the start of the Lenten period of fasting and repentence leading up to Easter. In fact, I was told the celebration comes to an abrupt end at midnight on February 25th. Reveling must cease, garbage must be picked up. Stop your boozin’ and start repentin.’
We were in NOLA for only a few days, but we took advantage of as much of the local cuisine as our stomachs would allow.
Crawfish season had just begun, and my husband wanted some. But just how do you eat a crawfish? The locals say, “Pinch the tail and suck the head.” That’s pretty much what he did, and he wasn’t disappointed. As you can see, he’s not an overly-expressive sort of guy, but he thought the crawfish and shrimp drenched in garlic butter were pretty darn good.
Gumbo, jumbalay, entoufee, beignets are all traditional New Orleans dishes. The beignets at Cafe du Monde are the traditional fried donuts smothered in powdered sugar. The one pictured was served at a local fish house and came filled with a delicious concoction of chicken, rice and shrimp in a rich cream sauce. We tried something different at every restaurant and were never disappointed.
But one at night dinner I noticed something. My husband and I enjoy being together and always have something to chat about over dinner. The millenials have a different take. I think they’re missing out.
A trip to New Orleans is not complete without a visit to at least a few of its many cemeteries. The largest and most notable — St. Louis 1, 2 and 3, are pretty much closed to the public unless you’re on a bus route, which we we were. We toured St. Louis 3 looking for mausoleums or names we might recognize. I couldn’t help but ask our guide where the Easy Rider cemetery scene had been filmed. Sorry, girl, not in this one. St. Louis #1 is purportedly where the VooDoo priestess Marie Laveau is entombed. VooDoo lore is rich in this city, and these cemeteries just add to it.
Fifteen years ago New Orleans sustained one of its greatest tragedies. Hurricane Katrina roared through the city, leaving in its wake damage, destruction and death. Homes like those pictured below were literally covered with 18 to 20 feet of water. The Mississippi River (pictured on the left) looms large just over the levee from the heart of the city. Ironically, it wasn’t the river that flooded. It was the storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico that filled Lake Ponchatrain, pushing the levees to break and sending the water into the city where it eventually drained into, you guessed it, the Mississppi River.
One thing we missed, or at least didn’t get enough of, was the music of New Orleans. Every night, every street corner, every time you turned around there was music. That will have to be on a return visit because I don’t think it’s going away.
If a city does nothing more to a first time visitor than entice them to return, NOLA accomplished that just fine for us. I am looking forward to my return. Till then,
Via Nola Vie!