We had just gotten on the road for our day of exploring when I saw this sign. Yes, even in Louisiana Hatch Chile is famous.
We drove the River Road from Baton Rogue to New Orleans.
As soon as we got close to the Mississippi River the fog closed in.
Everything was seen through a misty veil.
There are still fields of sugar cane harking back to when it was sugar cane that made the plantations along the river road their fortune.
But, today along the River Road there is more of this.....................
than this! While it would be beautiful to see plantation after plantation I had a hard time with it all.
Thinking that the opulence of the plantation owners lives were built upon this...........cabins full of slaves......made the whole drive a disappointment to me.
I appreciated the beauty of the architecture of the homes.
This made me sad.
I was impressed by the levee along the Mississippi. And Walt kept wanting to drive up on it. Whenever he would find a road leading up on it that didn't say "No Trespassing" (well, maybe not always) up we would go. What an enormous job it must have been building it. Levee construction in Louisiana actually began with the first settlers in 1718. Now the sides are lushly green and you can see crews mowing the grass to keep it pretty.
Several of the homes have been restored and are open for tours.
Walt wanted to know if I wanted to go on one of the tours. I did not! I didn't want to hear what their life had been like. I didn't want to see their beautiful furnishings. Funny thing is I love Downton Abbey and have often thought while watching it that I could have been happy being one of the servants there but I cannot imagine life as a slave. I am sure many were treated kindly but they were still slaves. OK enough about that. The River Road just wasn't a happy place for me.
We did find a wonderful old Catholic Cemetery. Tumbling down tombs and monuments. So beautiful even in disrepair.
The River Road was a chaotic mixture of broad cane fields, mansions, run down houses, petrochemical plants and suburban strip developments and I am glad we saw it and I can understand how some may love it but I left with a sense of sadness.
Our day in New Orleans was on a non Mardi Gras parade day. We hadn't been in New Orleans since 1967. That was the year that the Superdome plans were being drawn up.
When we were here in 1967 the two things I remember most was a stop at Cafe Du Monde and a night at the Club My Oh My.
The Club My Oh My is no longer in business. It was a female impersonator club and I am sure Walt was laughing at me because I was there for quite awhile before I figured out that all of those beautiful women performing onstage and even waiting on our table were actually men. Oh My Oh My was their grooming perfect.
The Cafe Du Monde is still there.
We stopped by for our order of beignets. Beignets are square French -style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar. Oh so good!
The French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans.
It looks much the same as when we were here in 1967.
Some of the buildings have been renovated.
Others have fallen into disrepair but the feel is still the same.
Many of the buildings date back to the early 1800's.
The French Quarter is always in a party mode.
Many businesses are definitely R rated.
There is always music being played on the streets.
It is non-stop activity in the French Quarter.
You can take a carriage ride.
You can shop. There is the shirt I bought.
The Fleur de Lis is a symbol that goes back in history to the French Monarchy. Today it is associated with New Orleans as a symbol of unity. It is emblazoned on the New Orleans Saints football teams helmets and uniforms.
It has now undergone controversy because in the 1700's if a slave ran away and was caught they were branded with a fleur de lis as a sign of a troublemaker. It seems that the consensus is that it will remain because it is now embraced as a sign of unity.
A visit to New Orleans would not be complete without tasting some of their food.
We went to the Oceana Grill because I had heard that their Crab Cakes were the best. They were. Drizzled with a cream sauce filled with crawfish on top. Oh crawfish and crab how I will miss ye! I do regret that we didn't get to visit the Garden District but being so early in the year the yards would have not been at their full glory. Besides there needs to be something left for another time.
Our day in New Orleans ended at sunset with a view of the U. S. flag flying in Jackson Square.
"New Orleans is kind of dark in a very beautiful way."
Nicole Anderson