NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

The city with dark secrets

The minute I got off that plane, I knew I soon would never forget New Orleans, The Big Easy. Taking a leisurely stroll down Chartres brought me face to face with a transvestite street mime standing on a crate, a shameless clown (literally) demanding money for a picture, a multi-talented tarot card reader/caricaturist, and more interesting characters that make New Orleans one of the must sees on earth. One morning spent learning about the history of Mardi Gras at the Louisiana State Museum and taking in some of the most flamboyant costumes ever designed was stimulating on a weird level.

An afternoon spent on a graveyard tour, walking in eerie silence, as above ground tombs, including one that belonged to the Madam of Voodoo, were pointed out and displayed by the guide was definitely different. The bayou swamp tour was invigorating as the guide dragged a life alligator out of the swamp unto the boat with his bare hands. Move over Steve Erwin.  The legend of the swamp ‘Roux-Ga-Roux’, an evil spawn of some sort whose victims are never found after sighting was enough to keep the ‘tourists’ giddy and on the lookout.

The bed and breakfast in an old house with piercing statues gave me the creeps. The crawfish etouffé was to die for. The sights and sounds of street jazz bands. The smell: that old fishy and dark history laden smell that covers the city is distinct. The French quarters. The famous Bourbon street. The streetcar ride down St Charles Street. The Architecture. The Churches. The weeping trees. So much history, most very dark. The different types of people it draws.

And capping off this new experience that was New Orleans was meeting and taking a picture with Magic Johnson at the airport. New Orleans is that way; chock full of pleasant and disturbing surprises all in one breath.

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