New Orleans Trip

I have always wanted to visit New Orleans.  It's rich in history and how the Spanish and French cultures mixed to influence the architecture and the basically the whole culture.  And not to mention Gambit, my favorite comic book character, is from New Orleans.

I turned 30 this March and I wasn't going to spend it home.  So I wanted to go somewhere else.  I originally was thinking of Hershey, Pennsylvania but it would have been could during March.  Then one day it hit, "I've always wanted to go to New Orleans, so why not?"  I looked online and found a killer deal for my sister and I and we had to book then.  After booking I called my friends in Utah to see if they would meet us there.

Miriam, Jen and Erika met up with Laura and I - and we had a blast!  We saw and walked among the craziness of Bourbon street.  Jen enjoyed a cup of bourbon gelato, but didn't think there was real bourbon in it.  And the best part is that when she found out it was real bourbon there was a discussion of the alcohol cooking out of it.  You don't cook gelato! It was so funny!

I love history and when you stick in the paranormal I'm in heaven, so of course I had to do the Haunted History tour.  Laura and Miriam went on the tour with me.  It was a very interesting and informative tour.

We enjoyed the weekend life of the French Quarter.  We entered this shop that was filled with these gorgeous venetian masks from Venice, they weren't for sale but were BEAUTIFUL!

We walked for a bit along the Mississippi, which was windy!  We had desert in this swanky restaurant that had a piano player.  That was my first time listening to a piano player in a restaurant.

Laura had her first praline and we danced in the streets!

 

We also enjoyed a cemetery tour.

 

 

We visited the Garden district and saw Anne Rice's old home.  We even rode a street car.

 

We also went on a swamp tour.  It was just the three of us, so basically we had a private tour!  Captain Allen was the best and he had an alligator for us to hold.  They're softer than I would have thought.

 

We had a fun birthday dinner and danced on the dance floor some of the elderly.  Miriam and I were partners and then one of the couples split up and showed us how to do the dance.  I like to think I can dance, but really I can't.  We took the trax to the restaurant, which meant we were waiting for it at dark.  Jen was our knight in shining armor.  She had a full 360 degree watch around us.

 

When it was time to go I wasn't ready.  I returned to the hotel room to see Laura and Miriam in pjs, but I wanted to go out still!  We took a walk for one last trip to Cafe du Monde.  Now that I think about it, the desk clerk may have been worried that we were doing that.  Our hotel was amazing!  FYI - It used to be a brothel, hence the red light.

I saw kids with bottlecaps on their shoes tap dancing on the streets.  I went into this coolest store, Fleur de Paris, it was right up my alley!  I so want that jacket and top hat that the clerk was wearing.  Yes, a top hat!  It was a very expensive store... which is why I didn't buy anything.

And not to mention, this one night we left Pirate Alley and two guys under the lamp post were singing in French.  One was playing the guitar and one the accordian.  It the coolest thing I saw.  Laura, if you took a picture of them, could I please get a copy?