Day 20 - New Orleans

We slept amazingly well considering our room overlooks Bourbon Street.  Bourbon Street doesn't sleep.  When we woke the cleaning machine was working its way down the street cleaning with not only water but also disinfectant.

The foyer of our Hotel

We decided to get our Hop-on-Hop-Off bus tickets today.  They are the cheapest thing we have found so far.  $44 dollars each gives you a three day pass with three included walking tours.  But, before we do the tour, it's time for breakfast.  It was suggested to us that we go to Cafe Du Monde but the line to get into that place was so long that we couldn't see the end.  Gee people are patient.
We found a gorgeous restaurant where the food was amazing.  Of course we over ordered! We forgot that the portion sizes are enormous in the US.  However it was delicious.  We ordered a taster plate that included Friend Green Tomatoes, Shrimp, Mini Crab Claws in a very spicy sauce and battered mozzarella; Seafood Gumbo (Soup); and Omelettes that were served with Hash Browns or Grit.  The best way I can describe Grit is Cerevite! (John, they still make it here in the US!)  Also included with the meal was a about four slices of toast with some really delicious jams and tea and coffee.  The whole meal cost about $60 US that was very reasonable.

The breakfast restaurant

Devoured this meal!

After breakfast we walked the quite long distance to the bus pick up.  Actually we walked to stop 1 but there was a sign there that said it was temporarily closed and to make our way to stop 2.  We probably walked 4 or 5 kms but we needed to walk!

We walked past musicians

Jackson Square - still can't master the selfie!

Mule drawn carriages that we will do another day

French Quarter 

The French Quarter Markets

We didn't have to wait long for the bus and we decided to just stay on it for the whole route so that we could get our bearings.  We started in the French Quarter (where we are staying) and then went on to the CBD.

CBD

 After that it was the Garden District (my favorite and I will do the walking tour here later).

A community garden in between two buildings

The Garden Area

Dual bridges crossing the mighty Mississippi (As I was typing Mississippi I was saying to myself Mrs M, Mrs I, Mrs SSI, Mrs SSI, Mrs PPI......I learnt this in Primary School!)

Jackson Square

A carriage ride through the French Quarter

Yes.....Bourbon Street

Another wedding parade down Bourbon

 Our guide was very informative and answered any questions that were directed at her.
After the tour that took about two hours we once again made our way back to the hotel where I caught up on my blog while Philip found a bottle shop to purchase some beer and wine.  The drinks here on Bourbon Street are very expensive.  $10 for a Vodka, Lime and Soda but the beers are two for one for $10.  I wish I was a beer drinker!
Our balcony overlooks Bourbon Street.  The balcony are not individual but rather one long balcony for the six rooms.

The view from our Balcony looking down on Bourbon

We got chatting to the young couple beside us who live in Seattle who were able to point us in the direction of some good restaurants.  We enjoy watching the crowd from the comfort of our balcony (on the second floor) but we also enjoy the music from the bar across the road from us - The Prohabition.  They have some great artists playing blues and jazz music.

Our Favorite Bar right across the street - the Prohibition

 Sadly, there is not enough places playing this style of music that New Orleans is famous for.  We are really not into the boom, boom boom music that seems to be playing in a lot of the hotels.

The Police always escort the Bridal Party

We had pizza for dinner and once again....the size!  It would have fed four maybe six people easily so we have some leftovers sitting in the fridge! Any early night is called for again so that we are refreshed for another day in New Orleans.