New Orleans, LA

It was a long drive from Birmingham, Alabama, to New Orleans, and at this point, my body was anxious to get out of the car and stretch.

I got into New Orleans around 6pm, just about time for dinner. From the looks of the areas I drove through the city didn't look as if it suffered a national disaster. I found no signs of flooding, or abandoned homes. Everything looked intact.

I entered the city through the 510 freeway, which apparently was the back route. I took it all the way into the French Quarter, and parked my car along side a pay lot. Parking on the curb was free after 5pm.

I spoke with Matt, my friend in Texas, who's a big fan of the town, and he recommended that I try the food, which I did. I walked around Bourbon Street and its adjacent neighborhoods in search for some authentic Creole, or Cajun food. Oddly enough, I couldn't find anything that captured my attention. After walking in the humid heat for an hour, the dirty smell of the streets in combination of the heat was getting to me, so I decided to head to Landry's Seafood House. It's not authentic to New Orleans, but apparently it is to the south. The food was still good.

I ordered the Grilled Seafood Pasta and Seafood Gumbo, both were pretty good. For dessert I had something that I forgot the name of, but it was two rolled crepes filled with vanilla flavored ice cream, surrounded with whip cream, and topped with slices of banana and chocolate and caramel syrup.













After dinner, I walked up and down Bourbon Street. There was a putrid smell of horse dung and muggy water. Apparently it was trash day and most places had their trash bins out on the curb. It was a Tuesday night and even though there wasn't that many people there the street was still closed off to traffic.

The Bourbon Street is lined with bars, night clubs, restaurants, and a significant amount of adult/exotic dance clubs. At the door of each club were a group of promoters creating a scene by making loud noises and holding large signs that advertised nightly specials. Simple tactics to try and get people to enter their clubs.

There was live music nearly everywhere. At the corner of Bourbon St. and Canal St. there was a group of young musicians playing some form of big band and Dixieland music. A group of people gathered around to watch. Only a few people were dancing. I captured a few seconds of it on video.



I was pretty exhausted from all the driving and walking around; partaking in the nightlife activities was something that I felt would require more energy than my body was willing to endure, so I called it a night around 10:30pm, in hopes of taking in more of the city in the morning. Unfortunately when I woke up the next day it was pouring rain, possibly from the hurricane forming in the Gulf. So I just drove to Longview, Texas, to visit Matt and some old friends.