Sunday, November 16, 2014

New Orleans, LA - Beignets, Pralines and Po Boys

At 7:30 this morning, as we were getting ready to leave, we heard the low roar of a diesel engine pulling into the park. Since we are right up front, we can keep track of all the comings and goings. I look up and, sure enough, a 45’ RV with a trailer/dolly combination carrying an ATV and a car had just pulled into the park and was looking to get a site. The owner of the park was outside explaining that his rig and trailer were too big for the park. With no turn-around space, the guy had to un-hitch his trailer/dolly and the owner graciously pulled his truck up to hitch up to it so it wouldn’t fall. The driver headed further into the park, found a spot to back in and pull out so he was able to leave the park. All that remained is for the owner to tow the trailer/dolly to the next RV park down the road which might have a space big enough. Meanwhile the RV and truck are blocking the drive way so no one else can get out.

Oh, did I say that the temperatures are in the mid-30’s? And, did I say that I had checked the reviews for the next park down the road and chose this park instead?

To further complicate matters, the car, which has been towed for 2 days straight now, has a dead battery and we also noticed that the straps that are supposed to go around the car tires are off and dragging on the ground. How long has that been going on? The RV’ers are from New Hampshire and have been on the road for several ‘nights’. He likes to drive at night rather than day and - doesn’t like to make reservations or call an RV park before he arrives. ‘I just like to pull in’ he told Gary. I might have some suggestions for him.

He left with the owner of this park towing the trailer/dolly to the next park. There the owner also jump started the car for the guy.

We were off by 8:15, heading into town for breakfast and touring. We followed the park owner’s recommendation for a cheap parking spot - all day for $6.00. Can’t beat that. Oh, yeah, the trade-off is: cheap parking, long walking. Quick drive in and we are walking through the French Quarter - actually before it had officially wakened. It was pretty quiet, a few tourist types carrying maps and camera, vendors piling goods into their stalls in the French Market, delivery trucks unloading in front of restaurants, and others purposely striding to work. We strolled among them checking out the N’awlins atmosphere.
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We found Cafe Beignet but - it was an outside restaurant. You buy your hot coffee, fresh warm beignets (can I call them ‘right out of the grease?’) with powdered sugar melting into them and then take these outside to eat in the 48 degree cold with the wind chill taking it down to the mid-30’s? Does this sound like something we’d want to do? Sitting out side in a down jacket, freezing my patooties off and trying to eat a powdered sugar beignet in black gloves, watching icebergs form on my coffee? Not me. And we tooled around the corner and down the next block to the Cafe Beignet with inside seating. Not much inside seating and it was all full when we got there but we hoped that a table would open up as we stood in line.
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Gary had to leave to make a phone call and left me in line to order. Then - I saw an empty table and, rather that wait in line only to see the empty table vanish, I took the table and figured Gary could then wait in line when he got here. So, I sat down at an empty table with 2 other chairs. When a young woman with her breakfast asked if the other chairs were taken and I told her that one was but that she could have the other.

And, thus commenced a really fun conversation with this young woman from England who was living in San Diego for 2 years as a Super Computer researcher. She was at a convention in NO, both attending and giving a presentation on the lack of women in the computer/technology field. Here’s the funny part. I think it would be marvelous fun to hike the Coast to Coast Trail in England and then take a canal boat trip down one of their canals. Her mother had actually hiked the C to C and she has taken a canal trip. How coincidental is that? We also share an appreciation for Bill Bryson and his humor and other writings. What a fun ‘city’ breakfast.

Gary came in, stood in line and came back with our shared omelet and tray with 3 beignets. There’s also an omelet and 2 pieces of French bread - and some grits with butter. Sad to say, the grits remained on the plate when we tossed it into the trash. The omelet was scrumptious and the beignets - how do I describe these little bits of heaven?
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Meanwhile my companion had left for her presentation and we discussed our day’s activities. Since we were running a bit late we decided not to go to the WW2 Museum but visit the Jean Lafitte NHP, walk the waterfront and some of the French Quarter and then visit the Presbytere, to see the exhibits on Katrina and Mardi Gras.

Years ago as a youngster, I read a biography of Jean Lafitte, the pirate in New Orleans who fought with Andrew Jackson to beat the British in the Battle of New Orleans. Pirate or privateer? Outlaw or patriot? Smuggler or businessman? Hmmm. No one knows where he came from and, in the end, no one knows where he went. However, it is clear that, without his assistance in both men and weapons, the British might have captured New Orleans (though the American-British treaty had been signed prior to the Battle of New Orleans. Me, I thought it a romantic story, kind of along the lines of ‘Ladies Love Outlaws’.

What we found at the museum was not so much information about Jean Lafitte (which disappointed me) but lots of information about the region and its various cultural influences: Native Americans Spanish and French and African Americans and, well, here is a map showing from where the original inhabitants came. No wonder, New Orleans is such a mixture of music, homes, languages, customs and food. We listened to lots of different musical genres on the headsets, listened to people explaining different words, looked at pictures of home with differentiating styles and, in the end, got a much greater introduction to what makes New Orleans such a gumbo of styles.
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A walk to and along the waterfront was next. We checked a local tourist store and found a cafe latte praline which we shared (next time the chocolate.) We liked the pralines since they weren’t as sweet as some other candies.) We also found a ring of Mardi Gras beads with the Iowa Hawkeye logo at the bottom for my brother, the die-hard Hawkeye fan. The waterfront walk was a bit windy and we were glad we had our down jackets and gloves but we saw all kinds of boats plying the waters, even the ferry which goes across the river. Maybe some other day but not today.

And, speaking of food, we were on our way to the Presbytere when we passed by Mother’s, a legend in New Orleans and famous for their po-boys.
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Ah, decision time. Not really time for lunch since we just had breakfast but will we ever be near here again during lunch time? Not really hungry but will be later. Oh, heck, let’s try it. This time I stood in line while Gary searched for a table. And, it was a table with 3 others, all attending the Health Sciences convention. Another interesting ‘city’ meal.
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Our final stop was a the Presbytere, where they had two exhibits: one on Hurricane Katrina and lessons learned and one on Mardi Gras - what an interesting combination from devastation to party time. both exhibits were done well. The Katrina exhibit covered the events during the hurricane in one room but in the second room explained why the dikes failed, how they can be made better, how wetlands need to be increased, etc.

The Mardi Gras exhibit upstairs was all fun and games.
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Even the bathrooms looked like those you’d find on the Mardi Gras route.
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After the museums, we wandered around again, walked the waterfront and then back to our car. We saw this parking garage on the way back. Not sure how they arrange all this. Do those who are leaving work late take the top slot? Do the ones who get there first take that top slot? How does this work?
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Since we had eaten so much during the day, we thought a salad appropro for dinner.

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