In a post Katrina New Orleans, it is good to know that most of what the city is known for appears unchanged. I say "appears" because after what happened to this city and her people, there had to be changes after the disaster of August 2005. I had been here in June/July 2004 and enjoyed my time in this friendly city. And while much of the media focuses on the continued plight of the city, I can tell you that during our stay, there was no time that we felt threatened or unsafe. Like any other big city that has poverty and crime, you have to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings, but do not allow the media reports to keep you away from this wonderful city!
As for our visit, we did a lot that one is expected to do. The French Quarter and Bourbon Street are about the same as I remember it. Plenty of places to buy a "to go" hurricane or a $5.00 "Big Ass Beer" . . . also enough cabarets and "sex shows" to provide entertainment for those who seek the other (non-family) side of the tourism trade of this city. We enjoyed our dining experiences in the French Quarter and generally steered clear of those people who seemed to be looking to prey on tourists (panhandlers and such).
As we walked from the timeshare resort over to the French Quarter, we had to cross Canal Street. It was there that we saw the famous streetcars. While we didn't see the one named "Desire" we did see them running frequently throughout the day and night, always filled with people going somewhere.
On our return trip from the Mississippi River Road sugar plantations, we stopped at the Metairie Cemetery. OK, I realize that is a bit on the macabre side of tourism but who hasn't seen the movie Double Jeopardy and wondered about the vault that Ashley Judd was stashed in by her schmuck of a husband? The marble statues, crypts and grave markers were very ornate and beautiful. And just so you don't think I'm totally weird, there are tours of New Orleans cemeteries available. Even Frommers includes this cemetery in their "attractions" section of their New Orleans tour guide.
Who hasn't been to New Orleans and enjoyed a "po-boy" sandwich? We enjoyed ours at Mother's, located at 401 Poydras. I had the roast beef, while David enjoyed the Ferdi which is pretty much a "kitchen sink" sandwich with roast beef, turkey and ham. All of their po-boys are "dressed" with shredded cabbage, pickles, mayo, creole and yellow mustard. Oh, I shouldn't forget the "debris" which is the meat drippings that fall into the gravy as the roast beef is cooking. All po-boys come with a healthy serving of that over the sandwich, which is served on a sliced loaf of french bread.
While in the French Quarter, you owe it to yourself to walk up Dauphine Street to the Saint Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. The Saint Louis Cathedral is remarkable in that it is the oldest cathedral in North America, founded in 1720.
Generally a hangout area for artists and musicians, the area still feels like the original area known for its French and Spanish ancestry. It was in this area that we saw the horse and buggy tours providing local stories and folklore to visitors from out of town.
For those who enjoy the high stakes action of Las Vegas, you can find that here too. Harrah's has a casino right in the heart of the business district at the corner of Convention Center Blvd and Poydras. David enjoyed his time in the poker room, while I took in some 3 Card Poker. They have a full gaming area including all of the standard table games you'd expect including blackjack and roulette. They also have rows and rows and rows of slot machines from penny slots to high stakes machines.
There is much to see and do in New Orleans. This serves to highlight just a few of the things we got to experience during our time in this wonderful city.