We walked down Decateur Street to the Harbour where we picked up the tour bus for the City tour. The paddle-steamer was waiting there to take tourists on a cruise down the Mississippi River. There are bridges spanning the river for vehicles and also there is a bridge whereby the train can cross the water. When we were on the train crossing the water, the bridge was so low that it felt as though the train was travelling on the water.
We saw many examples of the typical New Orleans Spanish style properties. Apparently when Jean Bienville discovered New Orleans in the 1700s, buildings were constructed in the French style in wood but New Orleans suffered a devastating fire when these wooden structures were destroyed. New Orleans was then re-built with a Spanish style of construction using masonry products – bricks and cement . Many properties have wrought iron balconies which seem to be typical of the style.
There is a statue in the city which commemorates Jean Bienville who founded New Orleans.
St Louis Cathedral is an imposing building overlooking Jackson Square.
A Memorial to Stonewall Jackson is here for his contribution to the American Civil war. Jackson Square is an attractive square park – not unlike Stephens Green in Dublin with local artists painting and selling there art around the square. There were street entertainers and horses and carriages waiting to take tourists around the city.
There is evidence of great interest in Voodoo and such like with many trinkets for sale depicting this type of culture.
New Orleans is very proud of its Cemeteries. In fact there are tours to the cemeteries in the city. The deceased are buried above ground and this is because New Orleans is built on swamp land and if bodies were buried underground, after a while they would just float to the top !! Can you imagine ?
We were taken to St Louis Cemetery No 3 and were given time to wander around. The monuments were amazing. Apparently, whole families are buried in these tombs. They have ways of shifting around the remains !!
Cemetery No 3 had a lovely statue of Mother Teresa and also one of Padre Pio.
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We went across the bridge on the Pontratrain Lake which apparently isn’t a lake at all. It is a bay.
Canal Street is lined with palm trees. It is a very wide street going through the city with shops, restaurants and hotels.
This house was pointed out as a place of special interest where the French artist, Edward Degas had stayed when he lived in New Orleans.
There are many museums and galleries in New Orleans , a Civil Rights Museum and World War 11 Museum. In fact there is a sign that says:
‘Storm the French Quarter and the beaches of
Normandy on the same day’
We saw this bull on Bourbon Street. I expect that there would be a number of people who will try and stay on the bull as the night went on. We didn’t get to see it in action. I am sure that it would have been worth seeing.
John’s ham with the bone-in filled the plate and the ice cream sundae was huge !!
I really admire the older black men and women who have such style and colour in their dress. Three ladies came in to the restaurant. They looked gorgeous. One was in a green outfit with a matching hat and the lady in the picture had a purple outfit with a matching hat and the third lady was dressed in black. I wondered where they had been or where they were going. I thought that they might have been to a funeral and could imagine the Gospel Music that would go with the ‘look’.
These shoes caught my eye :
We thoroughly enjoyed our second day in New Orleans. We have booked a Swamp Tour for tomorrow so we are off back to the hotel.
Just to let you know that we are thinking of you all.
Lots of love
from
Sally XX and John XX
sally's space 