NOLA

[Montrose1100]

So I came to New Orleans for the 4th of July/my birthday weekend and I have a few observations.

Bourbon Street is the most disgusting place I have ever been. Vomit, pee, poo, raw sewage, and cigars are the cocktail of smells in this street. It's super loud, super crowded, and overall a nasty place.

I'm not one for the super touristy scene or that type of almosphere. I can respect it for what it is, and it's lively, but a complete shit-show. I was surprised to see people in the late night with strollers and small children. You can tell how drunk everyone is if I'm getting hit on.

Apart from that, Canal street is ok. Royal street is a thousand times more pleasant than bourbon. The bars are less crowded, and much cleaner. Jackson Square is gorgeous, and St. Anne (@ bourbon), is about where the crowd drops off by the gay bars.

I haven't felt unsafe or paranoid about anything here, although the homeless are aggressive and annoying.

The food here is not what everyone talks about. Muriel's so far has been the only decent place. Everywhere else has been mediocre. The bar/server staff have been friendly, and really talkative. Hard to find brunch without seafood in it.

I couldn't imagine staying at a hotel on bourbon or close by. We managed to get a room at the Astor Crowne Royal, and it's semi-loud even being on the top floor. Next time I'll remember not to come on the 4th during the festivals to avoid the big crowds.

The WWII museum was amazing. The submarine experience was not worth it, but the "4d" beyond all boundaries was. I even teared up at the end.

I would definitely come back, but could not imagine it on Mardi Gras or any other major event/festival. The architecture is cute and spaces in the French Quarter are charming and beautiful. The French Market was really nice and fun. The humidity is bad like Houston, but it's tolerable and not as hot temperature wise.

I'm sure there is a lot more to see and do and I would to come back and experience it. I guess I'm getting older, and although I do enjoy some clubs, I much prefer a relaxed courtyard with jazz playing in the background than the deafening sound of rap or techno while being nearly thrown up on and a homeless dude screaming in your face about the differences of Scott & E-trade.

[Fringe]

I love NOLA but totally agree with you about Bourbon Street. It attracts the sleaziest people in the world.

[skwatra]

I'm not going to try to pretend that Bourbon street is clean, but I don't find it that disgusting. Maybe I set my standards pretty low, having been for Mardi Gras, Halloween, New Years. My days of actually partying there are long gone, but last year I took my cousin (22) there for his first trip to NOLA so we had to wander Bourbon. We enjoyed just wandering through, grabbing drinks to go. Pat O'Brien's is a nice place if you need to sit or use the restroom without dealing with the riff raff. They sweep the streets nightly I believe, and try to keep it presentable for the tourists and families during the day.

 

I usually stay and stick around Frenchman Street, and try to make it uptown for a meal and maybe a concert. But always at least just walk through Bourbon to witness some craziness.

[west20th]

So I came to New Orleans for the 4th of July/my birthday weekend and I have a few observations.....

....

 

Try a trip to Savannah. All of the history w/o the smell of pee and vomit. 

[skwatra]

Ironically the one time I went to Savannah my friend vomitted and I had to clean it up.

 

Not sure how you came up with Savannah, its a fine city but not really comparable to New Orleans in regards to culture, food, scene, history, etc.

[Montrose1100]

The only place with the same amount of vomit on the streets is Aberdeen, Scotland, but minus the other smells/land mines.

I went to Savannah in 2002, and from what I remember it was a nice place. (I was only 11). NOLA was our top choice after being to Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio so many times. We almost went to Nashville but I'm glad we didn't because we weren't flying. 13hr drive would not be pleasant feeling the way I feel after a weekend of drinking.

I loved the city of New Orleans, so please don't take me the wrong way, but bourbon was disgusting. Will avoid it at all costs next time. Even my friend that is from NOLA said while on bourbon "I don't miss this place at all".

[Specwriter]

I was in Savannah during the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in 2013. That was quite a party. I understand its St. Paddy's Day compares to Chicago's and Boston's in its popularity. The streets of the old town are closed. One buys a wrist band to get in (I. D.'s checked, of course) and then one can walk from bar to bar with an open cup of beer- illegal the rest of the year. Be careful walking on the cobble stones on River Street if you've had a few too many though. You could twist an ankle or worse.

[HoustonIsHome]

New Orleans is my favorite US city to visit.

The OP is right,  Mardi Gras is a lot more  packed than July 4th but it is usually much cooler so more tolerable.  I have vids just of the trash generated by mardi gras but thankfully have not encountered poop on the street.

 

Savannah is one of my favorite cities but no where near comparable to Nola in terms of history,  culture or fun in general. 

 

Oh and the fid on NOLA for me was rarely a miss. Almost everything I tried was a hit.  Even the fast food. 

 

Best burger I had was one at a place called City Diner. It was called a cajun burger. The patty was stuffed with andouille sausage. 

[k5jri radio]

The term "cajun" is a corruption of "Acadian" the correct term for people of French (and to a lesser extent Spanish) ancestry who lived the French controlled region of Canada known as Acadia. At the conclusion of the French and Indian War 1763, the victorious English [1] renamed the region Nova Scotia and [2] exiled anyone who would not sign a loyalty oath to England and, by inference, renounce their Roman Catholic religion. Many of these exiles ended up in southern Louisiana. The city of Lafayette, LA (approximately 140 miles west of New Orleans) promotes itself as "the metropolis of Acadiana (a portmanteau of Acadia and Louisiana). Unlike much of the southern United States, this area is predominantly Roman Catholic.

The city of New Orleans and its suburbs is more cosmopolitan. In addition to its "cajun" population, New Orleans has a significant "creole" population who emigrated from places other than Canada. For the purposes of this posting, the term, creole, is not race specific. African Americans are the most numerous ethnic group in present day New Orleans.          

[k5jri radio]

Once the city of New Orleans declares Mardi Gras and other holiday events to be officially ended, their police order the people to clear the streets and sidewalks, then their fire department hoses down the streets and sidewalk to clear the litter and related filth that accumulate on Bourbon and other streets in the French Quarter.

Several other members posted more graphic terms to describe the contents of the litter and related filth. 

[k5jri radio]

The official ending of the Mardi Gras holiday is midnight on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent which, in turn, lasts until Easter Sunday.

The French Quarter is a small area (approximately 0.6 sq. miles) located between downtown New Orleans and the Mississippi River. 

[k5jri radio]

The Battle of New Orleans (circa 1815), was the final battle of the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom (aka the British Empire). Although the United Kingdom Parliament had signed the Treaty of Ghent, the treaty would not take effect until the United States Congress ratified the treaty. One clause in the treaty stated that the border between the respective United States and United Kingdom territory in North America would be based on areas controlled by the each country as of the date of ratification by Congress. This delay provided a "window of opportunity" for the naval and ground forces of the United Kingdom to attack and gain military control of not only New Orleans, but access to the Gulf of Mexico. General Andrew Jackson, who led the United State land forces, was assisted by Jean Lafitte, a privateer who led a group of armed ships and boats. The British attacked but their naval and ground forces were unable to gain military control. As a result, the war ended with New Orleans still under military control when the Treaty of Ghent was ratified by the United States Congress. Jean Lafitte later (circa 1817) relocated his operations to Galveston Island and adjacent areas in coastal Texas. According to online sources, many details of Lafitte's life and deeds tend to be "obscure and contradictory".

In 1959, "The Battle of New Orleans", by Johnny Horton, was released and became a major "top-40" hit record. As would be expected, it received frequent play on the New Orleans area "Top-40" radio stations, including WNOE (1060 kHz), at that time, the top-rated (in terms of audience) radio station. According to "urban legend" one of WNOE's disk jockeys had an apparent mental breakdown and began playing "The Battle of New Orleans" over and over and claimed to have a bomb he would set off is anyone tried to interfere. Stories vary regarding whether or not this incident actually happened, particularly regarding the alleged explosive device brought into the radio station.

Sadly, Johnny Horton was killed in a traffic accident (November 5, 1960) while traveling from Austin TX to Shreveport LA. He was only 35 years of age.  

 

[k5jri radio]

After The Treaty of Ghent was ratified by Congress and signed by President James Madison, the ratified and signed treaty documents were presented to the British Ambassador on February 17, 1815.