Easter in New Orleans ~

After yesterdays wander about we went down to the Jazz Bar downstairs and had a few drinks. Mr Fab was having some rums so I stuck to water. We went for a walk along Bourbon Street and I am going to give a really good shot at trying to convey to you the cacophony of noise,color,people,sights and just general mayhem!!!! We walked for awhile dodging people all carrying drinks and extremely happy!!! We found an Italian Restaurant which looked ok so wandered in and they put us upstairs on the Balcony. Now its interesting to note that you can actually rent a balcony in New Orleans and probably because there is ALWAYS something to see!!!! We settled down and spent the next hour or so having delicious Italian food with exceptional service and just watching. So lets start say 4 balconies away. This is the balcony above The Hustler Club. Out walked the girls wearing tiny bikini tops and with what I am sure was dental floss holding a teeny weeny triangle of cloth over their ladybits. They all wore shoes I would use as a step ladder and hobbled precariously along the balcony although I would suggest it was a "sexy strut?". They then proceeded to yell down to the multitude of young chaps wandering along Bourbon Street and threw down necklaces, T Shirts and medallions which we think must have been tokens for drinks etc. They had a massive crowd gathered under their balcony as they shimmied and waggled their bits all over the place. I realized we had forgotten the camera so you will just have to take my word for it. (**Mr Fab was seriously pleased to note numerous times that it was my request and not his to sit on the balcony)

Tennessee Williams House

After paying the bill ~ and yes we have finally grasped the Tipping thing ~ thanks to M & M ~ we toddled downstairs and just walked up and down Bourbon Street trying to take it all in!!!!!! There were girls who had no tops on and had their boobs painted. They pose for pictures and get tips for that. The chap dressed in a TuTu who posed and got tips. The country singer who let you sing with him ...the drunk lads who thought they could sing....could not. The person dressed head to toe in green grass and flowers. The Students? who were very drunk and managed to get an entire section of the streets shouting "LETS GET WEIRD". The rappers doing rap with an entire street section blocked as they were pretty good. The lads doing the trombone,tuba,sax etc with drums playing really good jazz. Kids Tapping and clapping and taking money. People dressed in ball gowns back down to people wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else!!!! It was AMAZING!!!! We came back to the room and Mr Fab just fell asleep. He said the rums they were giving him tasted really strong and he literally fell asleep straight away. I was watching a show called Say Yes to The Dress Atlanta which was curiously addictive when all of a sudden I could hear really loud music outside so I went to look. So first off came the two huge Police Harley Davidsons with lights flashing, following behind them walking were chaps playing kind of dixieland jazz on various instruments ~ then The Bride and Groom each waving white hankies. Followed by their guests also waving white hankies and following in the rear ~ another police car with lights flashing!!!!!!

After we got up this morning we popped downstairs for some breaky and then started walking again. This time we went to both parts of the St Louis Museum and saw some amazing exhibits and had a chance to also see the Katrina exhibit. I will admit to becoming a bit overwhelmed by the Katrina exhibit as I can clearly see the devastation we as Australians have encountered in our country with the recent floods. This City has rallied and regrouped and they should be pretty darn pleased with how well they seem to have recovered.

The Museum was actually kind of interesting as it also included an exhibit of the Music history of New Orleans. After we had finished there we just walked along to The French Markets and the SteamBoat Wharfs to have a look at the Mighty Mississippi River. Its very brown but bloody enormous!!!!! So many people milling about looking at everything and I cant even begin to describe some of the characters we encountered. Good on them for making a few bucks with something fun!!!! Both of us cant get over how much walking we are doing. We have not really sampled any of the local cuisine as the smell is not very delicious. Both of us have tried but for some reason to us it smells a bit fatty? Its hard to describe. I thought it would be smell spicy but it smells like those dodgy Fish and Chip shops where they have not changed the fat for awhile. Occasionally you get a whiff of something which actually smells amazing and makes your mouth water but we cant pinpoint what it is!!!!!
Tonight we thought we would once again toddle out and just have a look at a place that looks interesting. There are a couple of things we are determined to try while here so I will update if we finally become brave enough!