Off to the Bayou- and Music listening- Day 6-7 New Orleans May 13-14

Well the day began well as we didn't have to get up at 6:30.  We were able to have a leisurely breakfast.  This was our day to go on a bayou tour with the Airboat Adventures company.  We were supposed to be picked up at 9:40 but we weren't picked up until almost an hour later!  And there were still stops to be made at various hotels before we made it out of town.  They also managed to lose our friend, Esther, who was supposed to be being picked up at her hotel by another bus.  It seemed they didn't have her correct cell phone number (never mind that she had phoned the company when they didn't appear nor that they had the name of her hotel and didn't phone the front desk).  But she was eventually picked up and was delivered to the bayou when we finally arrived there.  Our bus driver had begun giving us an interesting tour as we finally were leaving the city, showing us how high the streets were flooded when Katrina struck, but the sound system wasn't working so we were left on her own (which was okay).  I was a little worried I must admit.


But we did eventually depart at noon from Lafitte.  Donna had been keen on the six passenger airboat.  I was a bit nervous, especially when we had ear plugs to wear which with my hat flew off (but both stayed in the boat).  After that initial excitement all was fine!  I actually thoroughly enjoyed our tour and thought our guide was very good and knowledgeable.  It was really neat experience.  I am just going to show you a few pictures and a video or two of our trip!  We were out there for about an hour and forty-five minutes.

Starting out- we started up and then speeded up but we went slowly when we were exploring the bayous

It was really beautiful there!

And yes that is an alligator.  It was interesting as alligators generally live in fresh water but the water here is brackish so that the alligators have adapted.  Did you know that alligators only live in the United States and China?

It was rather lovely gliding along…we wondered what it would be like walking in that vegetable.  We were told it was solid enough but beware of snakes of all kinds!  Our guide felt safer with alligators!  

I never see dragon flies in Vancouver.  I used to always liked them when I lived in the East.

And now we have two crocodiles!!!

Looking at these pictures reminds me of how lovely it was!

It looks so lovely but are there snakes slithering there?

Spanish moss lives on air…

Here's our boat!!!

Well after our fun trip we went back to New Orleans and started dropping off all the passengers hotel by hotel.  A couple of people asked if they could be dropped off at the World War 2 Museum, which gave us an idea.  After everyone else had gotten off, our bus driver took us to Frenchmen Street in Marigny just beyond the French Market.  We had heard this was a good place to listen to music and our driver had lots of suggestions where to eat and listen to music.  And he even pointed out where Brad Pitt has a house.  He is very popular in New Orleans. 

We had a very late lunch at The Praline Connection and it was delicious!  We liked the atmosphere as well.  Donna also purchased pralines for her husband in the attached bakery.

As we explored the neighbourhood, it seemed as most music didn't begin until 7 o'clock and we were wondering if we should go back to our hotels and then try again when we ran into a young musician who told us his band would be playing at 5:00 so we decided to spend a few minutes around the French market area and come back and give them a listen.  

The Swamp Donkeys were playing at the Balcony Music Club (or BMC).  This was on our bus driver's recommended list.  And we liked it as well.  We also liked the Swamp Donkeys' music and listened to two sets.  

We looked into a couple of other clubs but then we settled into Maison where you can actually also eat.  We listened to a set by another group, the Gregory Agid Quartet,  who were great as well.  Here's a taste of their music.

We decided it was time to go.  Esther had a plane to catch early the next morning.  We walked back to our hotels.  But what a great night listening to music.  I totally recommend this area to any visitors to New Orleans.  It was such a nice atmosphere-very different to Bourbon Street and so much great music in nice venues at a very reasonable price.  

After actually getting everything into our suitcases, our last morning was spent doing a little last minute shopping and sadly saying good-bye to a great city.  Here are a few last photos.  I hope you have enjoyed your virtual visit!  

Elegant streets

 Always balconies

 expensive jewelry-fun to look at if not buy...

looking in the art shop reflecting the street

 Colourful buildings

A few things this city is famous for...

 An art lover...

 Another beautiful building

I will miss these beautiful streets...

Saturday to Monday, New Orleans-May 10-12, 2014

our courtyard using app Waterlogue

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, Donna and I spent our days at the International Reading Association Convention so our sightseeing was a bit limited.  Saturday night we had a dinner to attend at the Chartres Restaurant and Sunday, a reception at the Marriott, followed by listening to a little jazz on Bourbon Street.  Monday, when the conference ended at 1:00 we followed up with taking a cooking class and a little shopping.   By the end of the day my battery in my iPhone was generally shot so my pictures were rather limited.  Serious sightseeing resumed on Tuesday… but I will share a few highlights…










Saturday began with an opening session with a children's jazz band that was excellent, an address by the International Reading Association's president, and then a keynote by Jeff Kinney, the author of the popular children's series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid.   It was an interesting session describing his path to becoming a children's writer from his early ambition of being a cartoonist.  His books were incredibly popular with my students, especially boys who didn't see themselves as readers but loved his humorous stories of a character they could relate to and his amusing drawings.  These books were often the first step to moving on to books such as The Lightning Thief etc.  For more on the conference I will be posting on my other blog, Late Literacy.

Bad Kitty gave me his autograph

This followed with the opening of the exhibit space where there are all sorts of publishing displays and lots of authors and books.  Overwhelming but for a lover of children's books such as myself a kind of heaven.  The rest of the day was filled with sessions and I met up with Donna and took the shuttle back to Canal Street and the walk to our hotel laden with books!!

Our next stop was a dinner at the Chartres Restaurant.  This is a neat building and we even ate in the Tennessee Williams Room (apparently he liked the bar here).  I even won a copy of A Streetcar Named Desire!















Their balcony is quite famous and you can see it gives you a good view of the New Orleans street scene.
















As we were walking up the street which was blocked we started hearing jazz and hearing a whole group that looked like wedding guests waving handkerchiefs and swaying to the music.  I had heard of processions of people doing this at funerals but hadn't realized this happened at weddings as well. You always are learning something new here!  Here's the link to the video!

As we continued up the street we heard beautiful singing as well, one of my most favourite songs, Send in the Clowns…

Here are a few more pictures from our stroll after dinner back to our hotel! We always wander into a shop or two!

I love these street signs!













Sunday we began our day with a session with Dav Pilkey, author of the popular Captain Underpants series.  I was a bit sceptical but he was a very modest, very moving speaker, who again has hit reluctant readers and created books they could enjoy.  He also happens to live with one of my favourite writer's, Cynthia Rylant.  Again it was a busy day with many speakers and we didn't even have time to go home before we went to the Canadian reception at the Marriott.  This is always a great event where you get to see old friends (and not just Canadians!).

A bit more street viewing!

Following the reception several of us went off in pursuit of jazz and to drop books off at our hotel.  Right around the corner in the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon is  Irwin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse where we spent an enjoyable time.
















Monday was our final conference day and was as busy as usual beginning with the closing session with Reading guru, P. David Pearson, and a fill in, Sharon Robinson, nurse, writer, social activist, and daughter of baseball legend, Jackie Robinson.  Both were excellent.  I went to some excellent sessions and spent more time in the exhibits meeting Donna after my final session as we had a cooking class at 2:00 and it was 1:00 when my final session ended.

We found our way to the New Orleans School of Cooking.

And we settled in with Chef Kevin as he demonstrated how to make gumbo, jambalaya, and pralines and kept us laughing and informing us about New Orleans cuisine and traditions such as sitting down with friends to eat as we did!  It was totally fun!  And Donna stocked up on pralines for her husband!







Then it was time to do walk down to the river and do some shopping and beignet munching and of course sightseeing...

We eventually were back on Royale on our way home and we ended up next door at the Copper Monkey for dinner.

When we came out we looked up to see a full moon over New Orleans and our hotel!

Next post will tell you about our adventure in the Bayou!!! Or how we met a marshmallow eating alligator!

New Orleans Day Two-Friday May 9, 2014

Our goal today was to go to the Garden district but of course we had to peek in a few stores on Royale between Conti and Canal where we would catch the trolley car.




















I kind of liked this t-shirt...





















We had fun exploring the antique store just across from our hotel at the corner of Conti and Royale.

















I found a Ganeesh!  I couldn't find one anywhere when I was in India, but look at this beauty in ivory.  I didn't think I would get it safely home!  Okay, it was a bit out of my price range as well!

















I also really liked this box!














The plates were rather lovely as well!  One thing I really liked about this shop is everyone was so nice and friendly and seemed to really enjoy working there surrounded by beautiful objects and furniture.













Can you read his t-shirt?  New Orleans is filled with interesting characters.



















I liked the vivid colours!














This hotel looks like it belongs on a wedding cake!



















Well I see I missed taking a picture of the trolley (I should plan my blogs more precisely).  Anyway all was going well until we were told to get off the trolley due to construction.  The driver told us that we would just have a short bus ride and we would be told to get off.  The bus ride was longer than anticipated and we missed getting off so ended up walking a couple of blocks back along St. Charles.






We enjoyed the tree lined streets and lovely homes.  The garden district like the French District is on higher ground so other than wind damage it wasn't affected by Katrina the way other areas of the city were.  I found this interesting article when I was doing a bit of research.




















I think this porch looked very inviting!




















Walking down Washington we saw this coffee shop just across from the cemetery.



















Just so you won't doubt we are here!
















We are now in Lafayette Cemetery.  As you probably know in New Orleans there are no underground ones as it is at sea level so you find crypts like this.  I had not been in one of the famous cemeteries so I wanted to see one.











Some of these are quite old.






































I liked this little brightly coloured home
















With more time it would have been great I am sure to take a guided walking tour in this are, but we had fun exploring on our own.















I like how they mark streets on the pavement here.


















I liked this jungle like garden!


















Here you can see a bit more of this property!















This little house has substantial grounds!
















I liked this one as well!














These row houses were favourites of mine














As were these!














Another view














I love porches like this!














This one looks very New Orleans with the Fleur de Lis!














By now we were on Magazine Street which is the shopping, dining area of the Garden District!  I liked this New Orleans alphabet wall hanging!












And there season was a bit ahead of ours and irises were out.  I hadn't seen this colour before!
















This building was once an orphanage!











More irises but of course, we are in the Garden District!




















By now it was lunch time!















I liked this, a furniture store with a soul!












After a bit of exploring and a long wait for a crowded bus that was delayed for some reason, we headed back downtown.  It was kind of an interesting bus ride with lots of locals as well as tourists.  Before we knew it we were back in the French Quarter!



We loved these bright paintings from the Caliche and Pao Gallery.














The artists, husband and wife (I believe) are both originally from South America but now live in New Orleans.

















You see these lights everywhere so it was fun to be in this store!




















Now here's the idea in this store patio!


















I just love these stores on Rue Royale and I didn't spend a penny here just admired!


















Just a little street exploring and admiring the architechture!


















It looks rather cozy up that deck!




















Need a touch of elegance?


















Music, music everywhere!




















Then home to our hotel!



















We got to show it off later to our friends!  And then we went off to a reception and they went off to eat a real dinner!  But it had started pouring!  Our doorman grabbed us a taxi and as the rain came down harder and harder we were glad we hadn't tried to walk the few blocks!  And we were deposited under cover at the Marriott and were able to get a taxi there as well.  Our friends got totally soaked as did many people that night!  I got wettest from sitting in the taxi coming home from the previous wet passengers!

 I have borrowed these from my friend, Susan!

Check it out!!!  It was wet!!!