Return to New Orleans - Part I

Back in March I floated (poor choice of word?) the idea of going back to New Orleans for Thanksgiving – I felt there was more work that I wanted to do, and more things that I wanted to see. My friend Helen, who couldn’t join us in March but with whom I have spent many a Thanksgiving (the Chattanooga trip was one of the most offbeat andtherefore one of the most memorable!) agreed to come along. A beautiful dawn made the early rising worth it – as did getting to New Orleans in the early afternoon on Thursday. We set our stuff down in our French Quarter B&B and walked around, window-shopping admiring the buildings with their wrought-iron balconies. We found a restaurant that looked inviting – and it turned out later that it might have been one of the few places that served a traditional turkey dinner (albeit with some Cajun spice). I was prepared not to have any turkey but when I saw it, I ordered it! With a cup of shrimp-and-corn bisque for a starter. It was fun to walk around and hear snippets of the Thanksgiving afternoon Saints-Cowboys game everywhere.



We went to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park headquarters to get information for our Friday excursion; I had rushed through there in March, so was happy to go back and absorb more info (and Helen had a chance to see it for the first time). We then took the St. Charles trolley to the Garden District, to walk around and admire the houses there – opulent mansions in a variety of styles. While on the trolley we passed Lee Circle – I’d passed it in March, too, but in the six months that have passed since then, I’ve read the Shaara Civil War trilogy, and Lee is one of the few main characters in all three books. So now Lee gets a photo! Lee Circle has the new National WWII Museum – something I’d like to see, but so far it hasn’t made the cut. It also has a sizeable Confederate Museum; we didn’t get to that either, but might have had the weather not been so nice. We followed a walking tour in my New Orleans Day by Day book, but also made some detours. One of the things I like about New Orleans is the cemeteries – everyone’s buried above ground because the water table is so high. I’ve never done a cemetery tour there, but those are quite popular. More for future visits! At one detour, we passed a house that had a plaque in front saying, “On this date in 1897 nothing happened.” Whenever I think of the Garden District I think of that plaque – I have a picture of my late friend Paul in front of it. Well, it might not be that exact plaque, but it is a plaque in the Garden District that we walked by in 1986 or so. I’m sure that Paul had a hand in our taking the wrong turn and passing that it, just when I was thinking of him….





We had decided on one expensive dinner, and had reservations at Brennan’s. I was still full from lunch, so an appetizer and salad were enough for me, though I did save room for their famous Bananas Foster. I’m still thinking about that dessert. That alone is reason enough to go back to New Orleans!