New Orleans, The Big Easy

What a full and busy day!  

(A question has been answered—It IS possible to have “too much fun”!)

I brilliantly, but mistakenly, thought we should get a "head-start" on the day.  (I had forgotten that we were in the Big Easy.)  We got to the ferry "an easy" 45 minutes before the first crossing…we were 2 of maybe 15 passengers…at 9:15 a.m.  While waiting to embark, Matt and I wandered around one of the oldest neighborhoods.  The still quiet houses were beautiful—

We crossed the Mississippi and made our way through the French Quarter and a sea of staff people preparing for the third day of the French Quarter Music Festival.  (A very popular free event that has attracted a larger crowd every year…I think they need to charge.)

We arrived out-of-breath, but on time for the “comprehensive 3.5 hour tour of New Orleans.”  We hadn’t needed to run, our guide was a native, so the tour started "an easy" 15 minutes late.  It was a good tour and the guide’s stories, in his vernacular, entertaining.  He introduced New Orleans, “Down up here, this is the most un-American city in America.  I prove it you.”   Well, he did prove that it's unique…

Our first stop—St Louis Cemetery #3. 

Bodies are buried above ground....if buried in-ground,
the bodies/coffins rise to the surface.

The tombs can only be open a year and a day after the last body is entombed.
This is the "waiting wall"

Our second stop—the light house at Lake Pontchartrain.

After the tour, Matthew and I erroneously decided to go and “listen to some music”.  The festival was in full swing—it was now after 2:00.  

It was a full scale assault on our senses!  The intensity of the stimulation was over-the-top!  

Visually, it was a knock-out--people in feathered/brightly-colored/outlandish costumes, stores selling tables/shelves/drawers of items, music lovers dancing in swirling color, cultural diversity the norm...

Odors?  You betcha--liquor (rivers of liquor), local foods, body odor, perfumes, and...well, vomit.  (Did you know that the city has drive-through daiquiri stores?  As long as you don't take the plastic or paper end off the straw, it isn't an open container.) 

Auditory impact--wonderful!  We listened to a variety of bands and musical genre.  Some bands were on a stage, others set-up in obscure places that had a bit of elbow room.  Dang, I should have video-taped some…sorry!

As for "touch", there was never a moment I wasn't being nudged, jostled, poked, pushed, tripped, "guided" etc.  Poor Matt even had to hold my hand a few times--the swarm was thick!

We did eat some "okay" food and drink an alcoholic beverage, but our best eating was not at this event.  Plus, it was just too crowded to enjoy it.

Above the streets in the French Quarter 

Restaurant with an excellent reputation

Matt and the cool dude early afternoon
Later, this silver man had little space to "do his thing"....
I imagine, however, he left with a pocket full of silver at the end of his "shift"

Fun street band--Zydeco 

dancing to the music

Great jazz singer...cool hair-do too

My favorite group
These boys BLEW brass!
AND they were out-of-the-way of the pushing crowds!

The "pushing crowd"

We decided to leave about 5:30 p.m.  Even though it was “early” we were DONE!  Others must have felt similarly, because the ferry was packed!  After landing, Matt and I moved through the crowd and made our way to the parking lot.  
It was an exhausting, full, over-stimulating day.
So, tomorrow, I am taking Matt to Harry Potter World...guess I haven't learned.