Wow, how cool is the French Quarter? You could easily hang out there for a while. 2 days in New Orleans is almost criminal. Wandering the streets the first day we stumbled upon Frenchmans St where all the jazz bands are playing – so refreshing to see the brass/reed front line with banjo/bass/washboard….all acoustic. Great stuff! Actually thee is acoustic jazz everywhere – in every cafe, busking in the streets… all sounding so tight and clean…so nice to hear the brass! The Spotted Cat Cafe was cool – with an accordian, sax, guitars, bass line up and a guest trumpet for some of it. Bourbon St – you only need to walk down once, to say you’ve done it – far more loud and obtrusive than Broadway or Beale St. New Orleans is the only place in America where it is legal to walk the streets drinking alcohol – and Bourbon St is the prime location – frozen daiquiri stands everywhere. Talking drinks – I had the most amazing Bloody Mary in the Maison Bar – called ‘Proud Mary’- garlic and basil infused vodka, and all the bloody mary’s have spicy cajun green beans and stuffed green olives in them too – just divine drink!
A ride on the trolley car takes you through another part of town where you can look at all the old mansion houses…gorgeous old architecture. Music and festivals of all kinds coming up, seems sad to have to leave after such a tiny taste but time is short now and it is off to Lafayette for the Cajun experience.