Photos from the Big Easy

[Highway6]

My wife and I spent 4 days in New Orleans a few weeks back.

Random Observations:

• The Vampire tour was lots more fun than I thought it would be. Ask for Jonathan as your tour guide.
• I'd remembered how great the famous Mother's Restaurant had been from a previous trip. We tried both Mother's and Duffy's for local cajun food, and Duffy's kicked Mother's ass in Jambaylaya, Etouffe, Red Beans and Rice, Gumbo.. Everything. The decor and atmosphere isnt nearly as great.. but the food is twice as good at half the price.
• Cafe Du Monde seems slightly over-rated.. too crowded and the atmosphere wasn't what I remembered it being. Court of the 2 Sisters though for brunch.. A+
• French Quarter at night - is it back? Doesnt seem like it ever left. Still as packed as I remember from pre Katrina days.
• Never knew the big bridge into town from the south was toll in one direction. Seems like a great way to piss off tourists.
• While I lament the fact that Houston was short-sighted in tearing up our street car lines from long ago, especially seeing how beautiful and functional, and vibrant the lines can be 180 years later. It also makes me laugh a little to put into perspective when we complain about Houston always tearing down its past. Yes, its sad and everyone has to start at some point (at preserving their history) but really.. we have no clue what old is here.
• Taking 90 back to Lafayette instead of 10 is much more scenic and has some really beautiful spots, and really, you're only adding about 20 miles.

Photo time.

terrible ghosting. I know. Haven't really figured out how to handle that aspect of HDR photography yet.

[valdesp03]

Great Pics! But I think some of your pics would look better without the HDR effect.

[Highway6]

I think 3 of those above arent HDR. perhaps you're right... but i've gotten to the point where i'm always shooting in RAW so pseudo HDR is always an option... It's hard to quit, ya know !!

[crunchtastic]

Thanks for the great pics! I never tire of visiting New Orleans.

[Fringe]

Great pics. Wife and I were there last June. Bourbon street still as raunchy as usual.  (We did our best to stay away from it). French quarter looks the same. Still a great place to visit. Damn good food everywhere.  Probably gained 10 lbs while I was there.  Getting harder to find good jazz, certainly not to be found on Bourbon St.  

[Highway6]

Getting harder to find good jazz, certainly not to be found on Bourbon St.

True, we planned on visiting Snug Harbor Jazz club one night.. but it's on the other side of Esplanade and we never ended up making that afar out.

We did find some other great live music... Frietzel's Pub had a band composed of a bass, drums, trumpet player and a banjoist... and while they were playing some more folksy stuff.. that was a great time.

[citizen4rmptown]

Cool pictures, very interesting shots, liked the swamp ones...

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Taking 90 back to Lafayette instead of 10 is much more scenic and has some really beautiful spots, and really, you're only adding about 20 miles.

I did that last year and was pleasantly surprised to see this sign...near Morgan City maybe?

I love taking 90 as much as possible anywhere I go...and the New Orleans to Lafayette stretch is a nice one.

I've been to NOLA once each this year and last, and there's been tremendous progress at our friend's place in the 7th Ward. Seems that 75% of the homes hadn't been repaired from Katrina last year...now it's probably something like 40-50%. Progress.

I didn't go to New Orleans for a pretty good stretch of years, and was amazed to see what the Warehouse District had become in the last 10 years.

[Ethanra]

Haven't noticed your thread till now, nice photos.

Wife and I went to NO last week. Echo many of the same things you said. Happen to take the same vampire tour with Johnathon, very fun.

French Quarters was fantastic and the Garden District. Can't say enough wonderful things about the city. Love the trip to NO, can't wait to go back. Visiting NO truly help me realize and put in perspective many things about Houston. Especially how young Houston is and how fast we have grown.

I may be way off here but from my eyes it seemed like NO lacks average middle-class neighborhoods though. You were either from money and lived in the beautiful historic neighborhoods or your neighborhood is dirt poor...

By the way NO did tear up all its trolley lines except the one they have running now....

Wish I was better expressing myself on paper because I truly thought NO was a wonderful place, from the people to the history...

[infinite_jim]

Beautiful pics. I was born there, married there, and if I'm lucky I'll die there. Don't get me started on the architecture though.

[Highway6]

Timmy... distinctly remember the bear crossing sign in Morgan City as well... completely through me for a loop. Swamp bears ? Who knew ?

Ethanra and Jim.. appreciate the compliments. It a great city.

[Dan the Man]

I may be way off here but from my eyes it seemed like NO lacks average middle-class neighborhoods though. You were either from money and lived in the beautiful historic neighborhoods or your neighborhood is dirt poor...

That's a fairly accurate statement. Aside from Lakeview and Gentilly, most of the average middle-class neighborhoods in the metro area are not actually in the city of New Orleans, rather they are located in the adjacent Jefferson Parish municipalities of Metairie, Kenner, and the like.