New Orleans
instantly brings Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street to the minds of many adults but rarely do people think of it as a family place. So I decided to prove wrong all the naysayers by venturing out of Southern
California to the Big Easy with my family. First, we stayed at one of the
unique boutique hotels located in the heart of the French Quarter—The Mason
Dupuy. From there we boarded and
immediately indulged in fine Creole dinning on a Mississippi River Cruise—The
Natchez Steam Boat River Cruise. The next day, we ventured into the French
Quarter for some fine Creole cuisine tasting and other indulging experiences.
Finally, we finished our Big Easy trip in the alligator-infested swamps near
Slydell, Louisiana!
Our trip first started in sunny Southern California and soon arrived
in San Antonio, Texas for a few days before we departed to New Orleans in about
8 1/5 hours. On the way over there
we drove past a few other great American cities like Houston, Beaumont and
Baton Rouge to name a few, before getting to the Big Easy. The road to New Orleans is a
breathtaking one. It is landscaped
by marshes, bird life, and lots of alligator infested swamps! At first, I felt a bit hesitant about
seeing or even interacting with the alligators—who are the real owners of the
swamps. But upon admiring the scenery, I embraced its beauty and it’s
geographically important location in the history of the United States.
As we drove
past Houston we noticed a swampy area with a wooden walkway leading into the
marshy swamp where we spotted our first alligators. At first we marveled at the
murky waters, bromeliad, and moss covered cypress trees with a large Heron
sanctuary strewn across the marshy waters.
Nonetheless, we were determined to see alligators and sure
enough, it wasn’t before long that we spotted our first pair of alligator eyes
just above the water line looking at us.
It was then that behind the shield of the wooden railing, I began to
take some pictures, recording the magic of the swamplands through the lens of
the camera. That was the first
time we saw alligators in the wild. An absolute thrilling moment that all of us
enjoyed!
As we continued our road trip, we could not help ourselves but
to talk excitedly about our first encounter with the alligators and before we
knew it we had arrived at New Orleans. A new world came to sight! We could still see the remnants of
hurricane Katrina but with a surprising touch of steady renovations of the
historical buildings in the French Quarter. At first, The Big Easy appears like no other with its
buzzing nightlife, vibrant restaurants, world-renowned Jazz concert halls, and
it’s famous party atmosphere. But
upon arriving at our hotel, I immediately felt the years of history and
tradition apparent through the iconic walls of the French Quarter hotel-The
Mason Dupuy. The boutique hotel is
in a class of its own because of its historical architecture, combined with a
taste of the latest trends in hotel hospitality.
New Orleans
without jazz would be like the vineyards without grapes. I couldn’t wait to hear the fine
musicians that perform at the French Quarter on a nightly base! From my hotel room I had plenty of fine
choices: I could sit and absorb
the view from my balcony, go for a stroll and engulf into the New Orleans
ambiance of the French Quarter in less than five minutes, head down stairs for
a much needed splash in the hotel’s outdoor saltwater pool or simply relax
listening to jazz at the casual Bistreaux!
Well, as the curious explorer that I tend to be, I ended up
doing a bit of everything! Strolling through those very old streets, I felt as
if suddenly, I had landed somewhere else in the not so distant past. When done
and tired from shooting pictures, we returned to the hotel and immersed ourselves
into the salt-water pool. The
weather in New Orleans was warm and humid! But then, again, it was the start of summer and most of the
United States, including New Orleans, was experiencing a record-breaking heat
wave. The day ended at the hotel’s Bistreaux, where we spoiled our senses with
great food and jazz music from the hotel’s resident jazz musician Paul
Longstreth. Later, I would visit Preservation Hall for yet another enchanting
evening of more jazz.
Up and ready to discover more of New Orleans, we boarded one of
the Mississippi River day cruises: the Steamboat SS Natchez, which was built in
1975. We were welcomed by a very
hospitable staff and even shook hands with the captain! Once onboard, we
indulged on a delicious Creole dinner buffet, explored the port of New Orleans,
wondered on the decks and eventually allowed for the current of the Mississippi
River to take us into what would be another splendid sunset—all while listening
to an amazing live jazz band.
The next day, we drove about 40 miles outside of city and headed
out to one of the most popular swamp tour companies. We arrived at The Cajun
Encounters swamp tours and immediately enjoyed the landscape filled surroundings
with a constant flow of dragonflies and a surprise sighting of wild pigs while
we waited for our swamp tour!
We finally were rounded up by our guide and escorted into our
aluminum build swamp tour boat. As we ventured into the swamps, I could not
help but notice the abundance of wildlife. Then, came the moment we had all
been waiting for. “Alligators love marshmallows!” announced our tour guide as
we giggled nervously. The guide
began throwing a few in the water, and like children, the alligators devoured
them as soon as they hit the water. Then came the ten-foot female alligator
towards the tour guide. He immediately took out a hot dog while petting her in
exchange for more treats. Amazing!
As if that wasn’t enough of a Gator experience, we managed to
head on down the road for a second fill of gators at this awesome Insta-Gator
Farm. Unlike the swamp tours, the
Instagator farm offers hands-on Eco-educational tours that explain the
preservation of the species and its environment in a more in depth way. Some of
the tours even let you interact directly with alligators by holding them while
their mouths are taped. I learned
so many things about alligators: from how they build their nest to what
frightens them!
There was so much more to see and do in New Orleans like: the French Quarter haunting, its famous
cemetery tours, Creole cuisine like Gumbo with delightful hot beignets to
complement the meal, beautiful neighborhoods, museums, art galleries, bars in
nearly every corner—and of course, Mardi Gras in the Spring. But the most valuable thing that will
forever remain in my mind and heart is the wonderful and full spirited people
we met while visiting New Orleans. The voices of New Orleans echo a strong
history and whisper an unbeatable and unrelenting human spirit.
A special thanks to the city of New Orleans, The Mason Dupuy,
Cajun Encounters, Instagator Farms, and of course the gators who entertained us
with such scaly hospitality!
Until next time New
Orleans…