The Big Easy............

Good afternoon from The Big Easy ~ New Orleans. Downstairs this morning for a bite to eat then onwards for a huge walk around The French Quarter. We started at Dauphine Street where our Hotel is and wandered all the way down to Rampart Street. We found The Louis Armstrong Park and had a good long walk around there. I must be driving Mr Fab crazy as I am constantly taking pictures of the houses and architecture!!! I love love love it. Its all so washed out and grimey I itch to get in and do it all up. In saying that there is a wonderful charm to it all. Mr Fab has started to call me Wanda WorryPants as I am a teeny bit nervous about going to far out of the general area. Our waitress this morning suggested places NOT to go like The Projects. The park was beautiful but again ~ seems to need a good rain or something just to wash it all down if that makes sense? We have come to New Orleans at Easter which in hindsight probably wasnt a good thing as it is packed with students and tourists.

 I cant get enough of the color and the buildings but I have to agree with Mr Fab that it does get a wee bit much after awhile. After the park we checked our map and headed back down to Bourbon Street where I stood gaping like an idiot at the Sex Clubs where .....oh my my my ~ nothing is taboo in The Big Easy * still blinking* Mr F of course just laughed and kept walking!!! We arrived at St Louis Cemetery Number #1 and spent quite awhile walking around looking at that and also stopping to listen to the Guides. One was really good and was telling the story of The Voodoo Queen who was buried there. The graves are all above ground and look like Brick boxes. Some are over the top opulent and some are really sad and falling down. The Voodoo ones are covered in markings ~ XXX which is some kind of offering symbol. They have beads and bottles of alcohol and some even have blue paint splashed all over them.

The Guide made me laugh when he was telling everyone how The Voodoo Queen was known to be a fortune teller and knew everything. He said his research had uncovered the fact she was a Hairdresser so thats probably how she knew everything!
So you buy a plot and then EVERYONE in the family goes in. Thats it ~ everyone!!! There were peoples names going back to the 1700's and right up till 2006. The interesting thing is that even though some of them seemed so messy and uncared for you could see people had visited and left gifts and flowers and made little mounds of bricks in front of a tomb. Obviously the richer folk had ones which were more well maintained.
 Not sure if I would wander about at night and any of the tour guides offer Haunted Tours .....for a price.
After we had finished there we walked up to Pirates Alley and had a look through the little odd stores there. That led to St Louis Cathedral which was beautiful. We had planned to go to the Louisiana Museum but it was closed and would reopen tomorrow so thats on the cards for Saturday.

 We are sitting in our room with the balcony doors open just listening to the sounds and noise from the street below. I just asked Mr Fab what he thought of New Orleans and as he said
 " He is glad we came just so he can say he has been able to see it". I wish I could properly convey the sights and sounds of this town. I think it is one of those places you would have to see for yourself. I have never seen or heard or experienced anything like it so I am having trouble explaining to you Fab readers. I have always wanted to see New Orleans and the images I had gathered in my head ( which can be a vaguely scarey place at the best of times) well ~ it absolutely looks like I thought it would although a bit grittier?
We decided to have a rest then head out again later this afternoon. We thought we might go down to The Jazz Bar and just chill and take in everything offered!!!!