A bit of this, a bite of that!: NOLA

Back in September, I was fortunate enough to travel with my husband (who was going to a conference for work) to visit New Orleans!! Originally I had no desire to visit there, only because when we save our money to go on vacations, I usually like it to be spent by the pool or ocean in the hot sun relaxing, which is my favourite place to be. So I researched the area and the more I read, the more excited I was to be going!! (I took about 200 pictures on this trip and I am going to have trouble choosing, so go get your cup of tea and settle in for a bit!!)

While Hubby was busy in the Convention Center, I made my way multiple times a day down to the French Quarter exploring! Our hotel was right across from the Convention Center, so it was a bit of a hike to get there! I actually enjoyed the exercise, but the sweating was a little more intense than I expected, to say the least!!! (Each day it hit 104F and that was with humidity!) On the upside of the sweating, I'm pretty sure with it being combined with all the walking I lost about 7lbs!!!!! :D I'd like to think I did anyway!

I think the first thing I really liked about NOLA (short form for New Orleans, Louisiana), was the fun colours they used on their buildings!! The ironwork was incredible as well, such beautiful detail on everything!

A Cajun restaurant on the way to the Quarter

Hubby and I arrived on a Wednesday afternoon and we got to see one of the cemeteries on our drive into the city...it's kinda neat, because they bury their dead above the ground in these whitish tomb style buildings because of the water table and out of ritual. (I do not claim to be a NOLA expert, so if I have mispoke about anything, please feel free to share what you know as well!!). I was told to make sure to take a tour if you want to visit a cemetary, not to go on your own, as well, they close early at about 3pm.

Our first evening we enjoyed the balmy night air and headed down to the French Quarter...we walked around the famous Jackson Square (where the horses are all lined up for tours and the artists sell their paintings). The very popular 'Cafe du Monde' is also right across from the Square and we sat and enjoyed some Beignets (pronounced BEN-yea). Hubby says to the server, 'Could I get a little more powdered sugar?'...poor girl didn't know what to think...he was just being silly with her.

Beignets at Cafe du Monde with coffee

The next morning I made my way to the French Quarter again and took a million pictures along the way...

These were the doors on the Insectarium on the west corner of the French Quarter

French Quarter building

Shotgun homes in the French Quarter

These were the only 'shotgun' homes that I saw in the French Quarter...I read that they were called that because of their simple floor plan inside...you could literally shoot a gun and it would go through each room in the house.

Great door!

Great door knocker!

Looking down on Jackson Square

In the heart of the French Quarter is Jackson Square (the park), the square was named in honor of Andrew Jackson, the hero of the battle of New Orleans for which one of three statues are in honor of. You can also see the St. Louis Cathedral in the middle..it is said that you can draw a line down the middle of it and everything on either side is a mirror image. The 2 buildings on either side are the exact same, one is the Cabildo Museum. Then the buildings that make up the right and left sides of the square are the Pontalba Buildings, merchants downstairs and living quarters upstairs.

So you may be wondering if I went to Bourbon St.? Well, yes we did...now please remember, this is my opinion based on my experience there...it was my least favourite street. Hubby and I went together during the day and I was completely shocked at the 'in your face obscenity' to be quite honest. I knew it was a party street, but I didn't realize that it was so graphic right on the front windows! That certainly isn't my idea of exploring a city, so I think we finished walking the block and I took my picture of the street sigh and we were outta there!