Impressions of New Orleans Post Marti Gras

New Orleans is a hard place to describe and nearly impossible to compare. New Orleans during Marti Gras is like nothing I have ever seen in my life. If I were to compare New Orleans post Marti Gras to places that I have spent time, I would say New Orleans is a mix between Virginia Beach, with all of the bridges and water ways and Las Vegas (need I say more). New Orleans is a place where you need self control because anything goes. People from all different walks of life can be found walking the streets, particularly in the French Quarter. New Orleans still has a strong French influence, some may classify it as a coffee and cigarettes city. Not to mention the incredible amounts of alcohol that get consumed daily.

Once I recovered from Marti Gras I made a point to head into the city to walk around. I wanted to see the city of New Orleans without Marti Gras. Thursday I was up early, I dropped my buddy at Law school grabbed a coffee and headed to the trolly. I took the trolley down town to the French Quarter. I did not have a good plan of what I was going to do, I really just wanted to walk around aimlessly. Having just recently had my first experience in Las Vegas Harrah's was calling my name. I wouldn't of gone to the casino if I planned my day, a casino would have been last on my list of things to do...but getting off on canal and walking towards the river the neon lights were too strong. I took out a couple hundred dollars and sat down at a ten dollar minimum blackjack table. I went up a lot to start, almost lost it all, climbed back cut my losses, ended up 30 bucks or so ran. I headed down the river to the French Quarter. Who said there is no such thing as a free lunch...haha (thank you Harrah's). I clicked a bunch of photos walking around and after staring at my phone for a bit trying to find a good lunch spot I walked past the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, I had to stop. I had my first shrimp po boy. The sandwich was good, but it was the french bread that made it. After walking a few more streets in the Quarter I decided to hop back on the trolley and head back towards Loyola and Tulane where my buddy lives. I got off right across the street from Tulane and walked around Audubon Park. A beautiful park with a golf course and all. I walked back home through Tulane, what a great campus. Thursday was also Valentines day:( No Valentine this year, but I did get to go out for a great dinner at a place called Bruno's with my buddy and one of his single law school friends. They have a college night on Thursdays where all food is half off and they had 2 dollar Sierra Nevada bottles, I had a few..

Friday I was determined to get active. Traveling now for the last few weeks I had noticed things I take for granted when having a place to live like working out, being able to do laundry or a schedule.. haha. My only real excuse for not working out on my travels is the inability to do laundry conveniently. I don't know about you, but when I work out I sweat a LOT. Its gross and laundry is a must. My friend had a washer and said I could use it so I took advantage. I went out for a run around Audubon Park. Being there the day before and seeing how beautiful it was I knew it would be a great run. I also wanted to run along the trolley line. I had seen many people, mostly students running on the trolley line in the days prior and looked like it would be fun. One thing I noticed on my run is everyone runs in the direction the trolley will be come from (makes sense). I will not say it was my best effort on my run I definitely noticed the weeks of traveling, eating, and not working out. Humans are supposed to put on a winter coat for when it gets cold right?..to keep warm. I am sensing a diet in the near future. After the run, my buddy was getting ready to go to his gym at school so I tagged along thinking the more exercise the better. He road his bike to the gym and I chased him, just trying to keep up. After the work outs I showered off, my buddy had some reading he had to do so I left and walked toward campus to hang out at a coffee shop and read the news (real mature right). Well that lasted for about fifteen minutes. One of my buddy's law school friends recognized me sitting outside and invited me to Cooter's Place. A true New Orleans experience, we drank beers outside ate oysters and CRAW FISH! In my opinion, eating craw fish is a lot like picking crab a lot of work for a little tiny piece of meat.

We had big plans for the evening, we started at the BOWLING alley. Yes, I went bowling in New Orleans. For those of you that do not know last year I was in a bowling league and now have my own ball and shoes. The fact that I am traveling cross country with everything I own..I had my bowling ball and my shoes in the car! The bowling alley was awesome, huge open space, full bar, and a stage for bands. There was not a band when we got there, it was only 4 pm,  but there probably was one later that night. Not that I am competitive or anything, but I lost EVERY game! The lanes had no oil, the ball curved WAY too much..excuses excuses (I don't want to talk about it). After bowling we headed to a nice Mexican restaurant, I do not recall the name, but it was a birthday party for one of my buddy's law school friends. There was close to twenty of us, we took over the restaurant. We may have been a little loud and obnoxious, but it was all in good fun and we tipped well. After the dinner we had birthday cake back a the house and then it was off to the bars! Well back to Bruno's a popular Loyola hang out.

Saturday was my last full day in New Orleans so I had to make it count! My buddy and I went to a place called Camellia a diner of sorts maybe you have heard of it. It is a New Orleans institution. It has been around forever and there is always a line. The diner is set up with a long wrap around bar, no tables, no chairs. After seeing the house special I knew what I was getting an omelet with everything covered in chili and home fries..heaven. Did I mention I have been eating very well on this journey. The omelet was amazing! If I am ever back in New Orleans, I do not care how long the line is I will go back to Camellias. After breakfast my buddy and I went back to his place to digest sideways:) We actually got into a new show on Netflix called House of Cards with Kevin Spacey, if you haven't seen or heard of it and have Netflix I highly recommend it. Needing to put a stop to the lounging and start the day I made my way back to the quarter. It was recommended that I take a walk down Magazine. A street filled with little boutique shops and great food spots. My initial plan was to goto The National WWII Museum, but it got to late. The museum closes at 5 and from what the website says you need a good three hours to get through it. After walking down Magazine away from the Quarter I hopped back on the trolley. We had plans to do the Witches Brew tour at 8. I wish I could leave this part out, but I did stop by the casino again...and well I guess the saying holds. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Depressed from losing I headed to a cigar bar, The Cigar Factory to take off some stress lol. I had never been to a cigar bar before. The place that I went to rolled all of their own cigars. They had a huge room size humidor and broke down their selection by intensity and the length of the smoke. I had about forty minutes before the tour so I got a cigar that fit. I met friends for the witches brew tour around the corner on the steps of the courthouse in the Quarter. It was a little underwhelming to be honest. Our guide was great, quite the character. He talked about is sleep apnea and the spirits, poltergeists and orbs he saw on a regular basis. He sold me on the fact that he was in fact a crazy person. He even wore contacts not for his eyesight, but to turn his eyes yellow (it was actually pretty cool). The tour was about two hours, we walked around the French Quarter and were explained some of the crazy deaths and sightings that have occurred over the past 300 years. I am not sure about ghosts or vampires, but man there are some real sickos out there. The tour ended at one of the oldest if not the oldest (and haunted) establishment in the quarter. The Lafitte's Blacksmiths Shop Bar is a great rustic old hole in the wall type bar. There is a piano bar in the back and wood fire place burning in the front. They say there is a ghost that haunts the place and taps people on the shoulder...yeah that's what I thought.

That was my New Orleans experience. The French Quarter on Fat Tuesday is like nothing I have ever seen before in my life! New Orleans as a city is one of the most interesting, colorful cities I have ever been to. If you have not been I highly suggest making the trip. Next time I am coming for Jazz Fest!