What do you have in mind today?
I want to describe my trip to New Orleans. And I’ve got a bunch of photos to show you.
Okay.
It was a guided tour but with plenty of free time. First we flew to the city.
Almost as soon as we got there we took a trip up the Mississippi River on a genuine steam-powered paddle-boat.
Here’s a closer view of it.
It’s the Mississippi Queen. At the time it was the largest steamboat around. Since then they’ve built a larger one.
Why did you say “genuine”?
I’ve been on some other boats that had paddles but were really propeller-driven. This was really paddle-driven.
And here I am as we steamed up the river.
The accommodations on-deck were pleasant.
At one point several of the passengers held a kite-flying contest.
Inside there always seemed to be some kind of entertainment. Here we listened to the appropriately named Steamboat Six.
I see four.
Well, there were two more. I just wanted a tight photo.
At another time there was a musician on-deck playing a steam calliope.
Up above, the pipes were tooting away.
I see the steam.
I read that there were 44 of those pipes. The most on the river.
You keep talking in the past tense.
Yeah. They once planned on renovating the Mississippi Queen,, but instead they sold it for scrap.
Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.
As we continued up the river we made several stops. Like at the Houmas House.
It had been part of a sugar plantation back in the 1800s. Now it’s been restored and is a tourist attraction.
How far up the Mississippi did you go?
We went as far as Baton Rouge. That’s a city — the second largest in the state — but we went out to the village of French Settlement. That’s the name. And that’s Cajun country. We stopped in the Bayview Tavern.
See the fiddle? We were greeted by some typical music of the area. And while we were inside our tour-guides showed us some Cajun dance steps.
Looks like fun.
It was. The whole cruise was. But our paddle-boat turned around there and headed back to our starting point: New Orleans.
Take any city tours?
Just one. Short one. For instance, we passed this cemetery. The St. Louis Cemetery. You see how the tombs are above-ground?
Yes. How come?
The explanation we got was because New Orleans gets flooded so much. On average, it’s 6 feet below sea level. That may be part of the reason, but since then I’ve read that it’s also a custom of the immigrants who settled the city way back when.
Anyway, the rest of our time there we were free to walk around, sight-see, shop, eat. Our hotel was right on the edge of the French Quarter, so we could walk to it. That’s our hotel in the distance. Those two buildings.
Looks like a long walk.
Yeah, but it was worth it. We could have taken a horse-drawn carriage.
But we preferred to walk.
Did you see the streetcar named desire?
Like in the play? And movie? No, they discontinued the Desire line some years ago. But the St. Charles line is still running.
We liked just looking around to enjoy the atmosphere. Like this place at the edge of Jackson Square. While the people are shopping, an artist is painting a portrait.
And we enjoyed just admiring the French Quarter’s architecture.
That is nice.
And then there’s the music. At Mahogany Hall along Bourbon Street, this tuba player was halfway out the door.
We came back that evening to have a drink and listen to the Dukes of Dixieland.
And now we’re coming to the end of our tour. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Breakfast at Brennan’s?
No.
Well, I hadn’t either. But it’s pretty popular down there. And this restaurant puts on what they call “A Traditional New Orleans Breakfast.” And it was something, all right. It started with drinks and ended with dessert..In between there were eggs, breads, pastries, fruits; you name it. And outdoors. And this is where we ate.
Nice.
It was a pleasant ending to a special vacation.