In New Orleans there are a large amount of streets, you can walk to many small shops filled with the curiosities of Mardi Gras and the party town that it is. My sister and I ventured on our own and discovered many places as we asked the others and our Hotel services. There is a great map that has all the places I will show you in 4 posts. My other photo's are on my phone and have yet to be downloaded.
Clothes are a part of the fun...sooo many t-shirts. beads of many designs. head coverings. odd things. strange names. unique people. street people. some beggars and when you walk past them they are profane and hope the devil gets you! ha ha...it didnt get us. It is not as scary as I had anticipated and its much funner.
Starting you out on Bourbon street...parades take place here, the streets are narrow. The people can sometimes be a bit shady and everyone's spirits are light. In the evening you'll hear music pouring from buildings, dancing people, bands, women showing their big breasts for $$$ and putting on quit a show. The metal bucking horse is fun and drinks flow freely, in fact, you can have open containers on the streets. We went non-alcohol and had tons of fun! On the airplane home the lady next to us was using her little white barf bag before the plane even took off...apologizing to us how sorry she was. Just couldn't help herself from partaking too much! It's a party place with Southern hospitality and flair.
Fun signs everywhere...jan-feb is Mardi gras SEASON. Mardi Gras would be a time I would not like to be there as it would be packed and hard to move about and get into the wonderful restaurants. Thats for the real serious party people.
It is chilly there this time of year, wear a coat (I didnt and froze), air conditioning makes you even colder.
If your lucky...it could be 70 degrees and sunny in february. It could also be rainy. I had heard the streets smelled...but we didnt notice that.
When you see this...you know a parade is getting ready to go down the street, in the DAYTIME. Business' such as maybe a winery will sponser people to be in them. Below is just that...these people have been drinking for days, and proudly walk the streets in their colorful attire. Some attached lots of plastic grapes to their attire. Beads drapped over their arms. Business men were having a unique experience. As we watched in awe...two utah girls experiencing New Orleans!
Larger parades are published as to where and when they will start. One parade in the evening started at 6:00 and didnt arrive to canal street until 8:30 crowds gather and wait for hours...really strange to us beginners. But it's a way of coming together i guess. Street vendors sold stuff and all the shops are opened, so you shop and wait for the parade. Strange floats and school marching bands CASUALLY and I mean casually, make their way down the road, walking for hours in the cold and throwing BEADS and having fun. They have to buy their own beads. So we hear that many people in the community gather beads and donate for the parades, so you may get beads that have been used many times. They throw stuffed animals too...and what else,
All around the town neon signs light up the business'... Po Boy sandwiches are the rage.
Had one at Mothers (I'll get the address), it was filled with fried shrimps, the bread was just beautiful, but too hard for me. They are known for their HAM for breakfast. Now if you don't get there soon enough it is GONE for the day. My sister asked the owner if there was any and he went on a search and found us two little pieces, it was melt in your mouth good. Plus the 5.00 brownie and all kinds of cajun foods. Remember Mothers restaurant, its been there forever and an experience like no other.
Mothers is located closer to the World war 2 and civil war museum is located. You can walk to it or bus.
Plenty of places to drink the drink! There are plenty of Walgreens on Canal street to buy whatever
you need or want while your there.
Can you imagine during the real mardi gras these balconys filled with people...scary to me. I've heard to beware of pick pockets. we never did carry a purse in this town.
This is the Weed world van that is illegal in town, they cant seem to get rid of it...the suckers are 5.00 each and are suppose to have weed...but they dont. Be warned. spend your money on something else.
The best place we ate was on Bourbon street...Red Fish Grill...its a MUST. Sister had the lemon fish tacos with a dish of something that was to die for. If your watching your $$$ go for lunch, it's pricey enough but so
worth it.(thank you maggie stratford for your suggestion). Isnt facebook nice, you can learn so much when you need it!
The decor in this place is fantastic. colorful. rusty. neat lighting etc...give it an A. You MUST try the
chocolate bread pudding alamode...one serving for 2 people is enough. Dont forget!
(There are many other places I will post to eat at on Part 3 or 4.)
Their Oysters appetizer every bite was wonderful, the spices are unlike what we are use to here in utah.
Not too hot on most of the food, just good Lousiana flavors. It's not safe to be there longer than 5 days if your weight watching!
We also ate at Oceana on this street...blackened red fish over Jumbolaya with fried craw fish on top, unforgetable.
There is the oldest green antique trolley car in the United states that takes you to some destinations not too far away. You can ride this, the bus and a red trolley for 3.00 a day, do it!
remember...a red or green trolley plus the city bus can get you around. Places are not that]
far apart, but it does save you time and you can see the city.
You'll see this too...didnt do it though.
October would be a fantastic month in Norleans...it's just that style!
You'll find brochures at your motels and shops.
This is on canal street. We stayed at the Hampton Inn just around the corner. All the buildings are historic.
This place was nice, affordable (cheapest room 200.00 and fri. goes to 300.00) during mardi gras the great motels are filled way in advance and the cheap places go for a ton of $$. I heard a figure of 1,700 for a cheapie. Saying go early in the week for less crowds. we did a wed. night thru sat. and got on a cruise ship at 2:00 which a taxi takes you for 7.00 each. Taxi from airport to hotel is 20.00 each.
You can find these all over ...walgreens could be the cheapest.
There is a HUGE building down by the waterfront close to where you board the ship called the Mardi gras.
I imagine its filled with tons of paraphanalia for celebrations in new orleans. Noted there was a parking place where they kept the floats. They are very different. There is a tour of new orleans that takes 4 hours and talks about Katrina too. Not sure what its named, it could be the katrina tour.
we flew southwest because it was quite a bit cheaper, with a las vegas layover and a phoenix on the way back. They take 2 suitcases for free.
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