OMG We're In New Orleans!!! Day 2: Jordy and the French Quarter. (Sluglife)

Friday presented itself as a study in contrasts -- Anna was stuck inside the hotel at various conferences and break-out sessions, where all she wanted to do was, well, break-out, way out. Meanwhile, I was determined to see, do, and eat as much as I could do in the French Quarter in one day. How'd I do? Let's see.
	While Anna was stuck with stale pastries at their continental breakfast, I made my way into the French Quarter to Johnny's Po'Boys for breakfast (we're planning on going back today for their namesake).
	I asked the lady at the counter what she recommended, and this is it. The eggs are eggs, same with the bacon. The biscuit was a spectacular representation of the breed. And those represent the first grits I've ever had. I like.
	I had some time before my cemetery tour started, so I wandered the quarter. This is Jackson Square with St. Louis Cathedral in the background.
	Even though Mardi Gras isn't for another month, Mardi Gras season officially got underway on January 6th. I stumbled on one of the floats being prepared early.
	First, I've learned that North, South, East, and West really don't apply here. North is Lake (Pontchartrain) side, South is River-side, East is up-river, and West is down-river. So this is Bourbon Street and Toulouse looking up-river at around 9:30. The Quarter is funny this early. It reminded me of the Las Vegas strip in the morning -- there's a sense that you're seeing the rigging and cables of the thing that you're not supposed to see. Twelve hours later when the place is humming, that's what you're supposed to see. Nonetheless, I loved it.
	And this is the same corner looking up-river.
	At 10 I had lined up a cemetery tour through Haunted History Tours which was fantastic and I can't recommend enough. The tour started at "Reverend Zombie's Voodoo Shop" which, as it happens, is right across the street from the pictured and legendary Preservation Hall.
	After I got over my awe of being in front of a Jazz landmark, Ernie, our tour guide got things started. He was incredibly informative, funny, just great. Did I mention I'd recommend the tour? Oh, right I did. So what did I learn?
	After some background history about the original location of the first New Orleans cemetery, we went to where they moved the cemetery to, St. Louis Cemetery Number One. This is SO very much worth going to. Here I am in front of the reputed tomb of Marie Laveau, the "Voodoo Queen". What's with all the "X"s? Voodoo. Apparently it's considered good luck to leave three x's on the tomb. However since it's against the law and desecration, I'd just as soon settle for a picture. Besides, there's a good chance she's not even in there but in any number of locations.
	Okay, check this: this is on a larger, but not terribly large tomb. And this is the second plaque on the tomb -- the most recent is on another face. This one starts in 1738 with the first entry and fills up with 1898; The more recent plaque's most name died in the mid-eighties. How do you get that many people in the tomb when, keep in mind, this is Catholic cemetary and they do not allow cremation?
	The term is "inlimited interment". The body is interred for the year and a day mourning period. During that period, well, Ernie put it best, "The temerature in these tombs can get up to 120 degrees. Go home, put a turkey in the oven at 120 degrees and leave it for a year and a day, then see what's left." What is left fits in a bag and is re-interred and the tomb is resealed. One of the reasons some families have two- or three-tiered tombs is because during that year and day, should another member of the family die you've got another spot. Yeah, it's a bit morbid to think about it maybe, but it's really a brilliant use of land.
	What if your family can't afford a tomb? Here's one alternative -- this wall now serves as one border of the cemetery, but once was in the middle of the place. It's about 8 feet thick. These are referred to as "oven" vaults because, well they look like them and they also serve that purpose. Oh, did I mention the city of New Orleans is slowly sinking? The oven vaults were originally three-high.
	Her's another option -- and a poor use of land: the step-tomb. Pretty straight forward -- if you dig more than about three feed down you're going to hit the water table of this below-sea level town. So you lay bricks, place the casket, and then lay bricks around and over it. One body per. Yeah, that's not unlike many cemeteries the country over, but after all the other tombs this just seems silly.
	Did I mention the city's sinking? As Ernie said, "If you're in one of our cemeteries and you're standing on bricks, you're standing on a sunken step-tomb".
	Seen "Easy Rider"? This might look familier. That was the last non-documentary to be filmed in the cemetery. Thanks, Peter Fonda!
	These sky-scrapers aren't family tombs, but rather "Society tombs" -- kind of like a union. This is the French Society tomb. Now that's a benefits plan!
	Ah, another thing I learned on the tour that had nothing to do with cemeteries -- the difference between a gallery and a balcony. This, with its supports and it stretching all the way over the sidewalk, this is a gallery.
	Supported only by the building? Only halfway across the sidewalk? Balcony. Now you, too, know.
	The tour ended at around 1pm, and I wasn't really hungry. Thirsty, tired? Yes. So I grabbed a Diet Coke and sat on the bank of the Mississippi river and just chilled for a little while.
	A path runs along the edge of the river for some time. As our hotel is three blocks from the river, I followed this path back to touch bases with Anna (between sessions) and chill for a few minutes before heading back out again.
	About 3pm I left the hotel on a mission. I'd read about a fantastic place for a fried shrimp po'boy -- Rampart Grocery. It's on the far edge of the Quarter and not in the best area. But I was on a mission. So I headed out across the Quarter in search of the po'boy. On the way I stopped and picked up a cigar from the Cigar Factory New Orleans which are rolled on the premises. Finally I made it to the Rampart Grocery which is, well, a small grocery store run by an Asian family. I waited in line behind some high school basketball players who ordered fried chicken and burgers. As per my mission orders, I ordered the shimp po'boy on French bread and grabbed a diet coke. As there's no seating there at all, I headed for the best place I could think of to enjoy it -- yup, the river walk. Unlike when I was there earlier, there was a free bench.
	Here it is. The woman asked how I wanted it dressed? "Everything" I said. "Hot sauce?" Yes, ma'am. In this fantastic city there are incredible places to eat -- Brennan's, Commander's Palace among them -- we're not eating at those places. But I dare you to find a meal so comprehensively enjoyable as my po'boy on a bench on a gorgeous afternoon in front of the lazy Mississippi river.
	After I finished off the po'boy, what better to than to have that cigar and watch the ships go by? As far as cigars go, the wrapper burn was crap, and the draw was very tight -- probably owing something to the way the cashier more scalped than clipped it -- but the filler had that great deep chocholate taste that comes with a nice maduro, and the roll was great... and the scenery! Despite attempts to objectively judge a cigar, I always fall back on the subjectives -- even a lousy cigar under great circumstances can be great; I would argue the same cannot be said of a great cigar in lousy circumstances, but that's just me. Good cigar, great circumstances -- definately in my top 10.
	And as I finished, the moon was just coming up up-river. Perfect!
	On my way back, I had to take a picture of the clouds behind the Jackson Brewery -- which is all shop now. Still a nice building! Back to the hotel where I met up with Anna. They were to head out to dinner soon, but not in an ordinary fashion, mind you...
	No, they would have a New Orleans jazz band. It was fantastic, except that's not all...
	Because after playing a few numbers they would take up the rear of the processional. Leading us? How about the Edna Karr high school marching band leading the whole Alzheimer's group on a parade? Sure, it was a parade basically around the block, but if you ever find yourself in a parade behind a marching band with the power of the brass and the impact of the percussion report, I don't care if you're marching through an old folks home, that is an experience to remember! And it surely was an awesome way to walk to dinner!
	Even though I'd had dinner, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to walk with Anna in the parade. It was a parade after all! And it was very cool!
	I bugged out as the marching band split and the Alz folks shuffled into the Hilton, Jazz band still taking up the back. Talk about a way to make an entrance! I walked back to Bourbon street, which doesn't really start to hum until after dark. I went back to the voodoo shop, I even got take our at Cafe Du Monde! I took my cafe au lait and bag of beignets over to a bench bordering Jackson Square where I ate them like a diabetic hobo on a sugar bender. nom nom nom nom. Tonight I go back with Anna! And we'll take pictures!!

Sluglife

Links We Think Are Cool

MultiMedia Sluglinks

OMG We're In New Orleans!!! Day 2: Jordy and the French Quarter.

Post a comment

Search

About