#29- "Road Trip" Part Two

Day Three

Again our day was packed with activities.  This particular day we headed out early with a rental car to drive outside of New Orleans and visit some plantations.  I must say, it was quite an experience driving through, what to me, is driving through swamp land.  What a different scenery than the Pacific Northwest.  I loved that we were able to get outside of the city limits and see some more of Louisiana.
The first plantation that we visited was a Creole plantation (Laura Plantation) with a great tour guide who was able to explain the differences between the Creole culture and the White American culture.  Everything from the color of the house to the layout of the rooms was cultural.  And the ironic thing, considering some of the spiritual journey I have been on over the last year or so, this particular plantation was run by women and handed down to the women in the family because they were the better business people; and it was all about business.  This might also have been where my teacher side kicked in a little.  Tara and I couldn't help but take picture after picture of all of the historic relics in the plantation.  Yes, we were thinking "Oregon Trail Unit" and how great it was to have real pictures of all of the different supplies that would have been packed into wagons.  I loved the stories and the history.  It was slightly surreal to visit a slave cabin and see the lists of slaves on the walls.  But at the same time it was wonderful to have the opportunity to relive the history of our nation, whether good or bad.    

Heather, Amanda, Tara and I in front of Oak Alley Plantation
(where certain scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed)

The second plantation we visited was Oak Alley Plantation, known as a place where you can sip Mint Juleps on the front porch and experience a traditional plantation of America.  It also happens to be the place where parts of "Forrest Gump" were filmed.  The tour guides are all dressed in traditional dress, although we got a laugh out of how many of them looked like they were 16 and had braces, piercings and a tendency to sit in chairs in a somewhat un-lady-like manner even though they were in hoop skirts.  Actually, because we had a time frame to meet so that we could make it to our Swamp Tour, we weren't even sure we were going to stay for the whole tour of the house, and after our tour guide started with a really big group and seemed to struggle to share the information with us, we didn't feel bad to skip out and take some pictures among the Oak Trees before heading to lunch at their restaurant.  I continued to expand my palette of Louisiana foods eating gumbo and a Po' Boy Sandwich (catfish).  At this point I had tried alligator, gumbo, turtle soup, Po' Boy sandwich, Bananas Foster at the invention location, and fish of all kinds.  Good food, just lots of butter and sauces.  My system took a week or so of simple sandwiches and salads to feel normal again.       

"Run Forrest, Run" at Oak Alley Plantation

As mentioned, after our plantation explorations we were off to a hot afternoon on a swamp tour.  Besides seeing lots of alligators and getting to hold a baby alligator, it was great fun to listen to our non-stop talking tour guide who not only obviously had a great love of the swamp and respect for the alligators, but has a running knowledge of folklore and history.  He also has been on some of the new reality shows about the Louisiana swamp and it was entertaining because once again Heather knew exactly what he was talking about and had a joyous conversation with him about some of the different characters; characters that he could identify as neighbors.  Never a dull moment when traveling with Heather!

Look at me wrestle that alligator!

Holding the baby alligator on the swamp tour.

After a long day walking and driving in the sun we were a bit tired, but enjoyed pre-dinner drinks at the French 75 bar and then a lovely dinner at Bayona- restaurant home of the famous chef Susan Spicer.  This place has a unique flavor as the cuisine is more exotic in its flavors, and chef Susan Spicer looks for unique flavor combinations with multiple country influences.  It was very good, but after a late dinner it was definitely time for some sleep!   

Day 4

Brunch at the Palace Cafe

This was our last full day in New Orleans, but also the day in which we had no agenda, so we slept in and then treated ourselves to jazz brunch at Palace Cafe.  It was also Heather's birthday so we had fun finding ways to make her day special, including having the live jazz musicians at the Palace Cafe sing to her.  Live music at a meal is always a treat to me, especially when they are easy to talk to.  It was great fun to realize that all of these great musicians are friends!  So many of them have grown up in New Orleans and therefore played together as kids and grew as musicians together.  They bounce around from one venue to another, playing in different groups with different people, whether to make ends meet or to simply for the enjoyment of playing music non-stop.  That is one of my favorite things about New Orleans culture- constant music and parties.  There is a laid back feel with a focus on people, food and music.  I could get used to that.  That is what I loved about Mexico and South America as well.  It is that hot climate culture- relationship takes precedent over schedule.

Complete with live jazz music!

We spent the day shopping at the old French Market, visiting landmark buildings within the French Quarter and lazing around until our final dinner and a final walk down Bourbon Street to take in the culture and music.  It was a great relaxing way to end a very busy vacation.  I don't know if I would ever go back, but it was definitely a great experience and I am glad that I had the chance to go with people that knew what they were doing.  As Tara said, between participating in the Second Line to seeing the inside garden in the Garden District and meeting the many people that we did, I don't think you could replicate or do New Orleans better.
Our final morning was beignets, coffee and amazing grits for a late breakfast before sitting in the sun by the pool before catching our plane to head back to the Northwest.  Thanks New Orleans for a great time (oh, and thanks Heather, Tara, and Amanda for making it happen!)    

Love that you can hear authentic cajun music in the bars...and can
listen from the street.