Buckled in and ready to fly home, our trip was ending much like it began — lots of laughs, and a little fatigue.
Three days ago, Matt (cousin), his awesome wife, Krista, and Beth and I caught a flight down to New Orleans to watch our beloved Detroit Lions put a beating on the New Orleans Saints. Obviously the trip was to be much more than a football game, and that certainly held true.
We like sitting closer to the front.
Beth and I had never been to the Big Easy, but were very fortunate to benefit from the past experiences of Matt and Krista on their many trips down. Although the city is not terribly big — and the people are of the friendliest we’d ever encountered — this place can be a bit intimidating. I found it to be a bit busy and taxing on the senses.
We stayed all three nights in the French Quarter at the Marazin Hotel. It was a beautiful boutique hotel two blocks from the famous (or infamous) Bourbon Street. Yes, we were certain to have a great time.
The inner courtyard at the hotel was especially beautiful at night.
On our first evening, we jumped right into our usual program of getting out there and seeing, experiencing as much as possible. And for me, that always means finding some of the best local eats around. When you think of New Orleans food, you always think of Cajun, Creole, soul food, and seafood. Jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp, crawfish etouffee are just a small sampling of the “must-have”s down in southern Louisiana. Our first stop was Ralph Brennan’s Redfish Grill where we enjoyed alligator boudin balls, seared redfish & stewed okra, and an amazing chocolate bread pudding. It was a wonderful preview of what deliciousness lied ahead.
Most of our evenings and nights were spent on and around Bourbon Street exploring the craziness and the culture that this place had to offer. Of course there was the usual drunkenness and debauchery that many of us imagine when we think of New Oleans (NOLA, for short, I guess). But from what I am told, it pales in comparison to what we would find during Mardi Gras. Still, it was a lot for the senses.
NOLA, in many ways, is quite spiritual. Catholicism is the dominant religion, but Voodoo, ghosts and spirits have also left its mark in the culture here. Walking tours highlighting locations of ghost activity were everywhere. Many of the hotels in the French Quarter also boast about being haunted which actually is a bit of a draw for many. And, because Halloween was at the end of the month, there was more of an emphasis on ghosts and other scary themes.
Presumed to be a haunted house
Beyond Bourbon Street, NOLA and southern Louisiana has so much more to offer. We spent Saturday morning and afternoon driving around the lowlands to the north and east of Lake Pontchartrain. To get there we needed to traverse the lake using the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Two parallel bridges, one northbound and one southbound, the causeway spans nearly 24 miles bisecting the brackish lake. Yes, brackish — a mixture of both fresh water and salt water.
23 miles to go!
Just a quick mention of something that totally foreign to us in Michigan, and Canada. Drive-thru Daiquiri shops! Although, I would never condone drinking and driving, it seemed almost necessary to pull through and order some delicious frozen cocktails for the journey — moderation, I guess.
Now, I do understand that Louisiana law does prohibit open intoxicants in vehicles, they are somewhat lax on what is considered open — the lid not being punctured by a straw is considered a closed container.
In search of place that had non-alcoholic frozen beverages, we found that you can get other wonderful things handed to you through a drive-thru window.
Seeking to find a more rustic Louisiana, we drove some of the back roads around the lake. One in particular led us out to a peninsula surrounded by marshy canals. I guess this might be considered bayou country as the road and surrounding water was at the same level. Being here really gave an understanding on what a hurricane or storm surge can do.
Curious what was the catch of the day, we talked with some friendly “truckbed fisherman” to learn that it was all about the blue crab. Apparently you tie a raw chicken leg on the end of your line and wait for a crab to grab on.
Boat ramp parking lot was actually a few inches BELOW the water line
Throughout or travels, Beth and I have always been strong believers in eating where the locals eat. No chain restaurants or fast food, we look for the greasy spoon on the side of the road that has more than an empty parking lot. More often than not, the food is delicious, the people are friendly, and the bill is small. This little place we found had a great lunch special that included fried catfish sandwich, cornbread, gumbo and a small serving of bread puddling for $7.99.
Heading back toward NOLA, we did make a little stop to check out an old military fort we could see from the road. Built in 1819, Fort Pike was to guard the Rigolets pass, a waterway that connects the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Pontchartrain. The fort itself was abandoned by the army in 1890. As a tourist attraction, Fort Pike was closed and reopened several times following hurricane damage. In 2015, state budget cuts closed it indefinitely. Closed, but not impenetrable to a couple guys with a curiosity and a sense of adventure.
Although we tried the obvious combinations, 1111, 1234, 1812, 1819, and 1776, we were unable to breach the main gate to the fort. From pictures we’ve subsequently seen on the internet, it might be worth a return trip if they ever reopen.
Driving back through the 9th Ward, we found ourselves eating street tacos out of a mobile taqueria in a nearly deserted parking lot off the side of the road. I had never known New Orleans to be a city for Mexican food, but we also have never driven past a taco truck without stopping. Beth has a radar for these sort of things.
Oh, and then there was roadside BBQ.
Back within the city proper, a few blocks from the French Quarter, you find the Garden District. A bit more dignified, yet unpretentious, this residential section of NOLA has it’s own draw. Draped in copious amounts of greenery, you will find all of the southern architecture and charm typical to NOLA .
Because New Orleans is built on a swamp, most if its cemeteries house their dead above ground in crypts and mausoleums. Its uniqueness makes it a typical draw for tourists, ourselves included.
Also unique to NOLA is their wedding celebrations and how they take the party right into the streets. Dressed to the nines and accompanied by a band, the bride, groom, wedding party, and many of the guests take to the streets in a parade of dancing, singing and partying. We were fortunate enough to come across two of them — one in the Garden District and one in the French Quarter.
Sunday morning… time for the big game — the main reason we are here. Time to put on our Lions gear(except our one Saints fan) and make the mile and half trek to The Superdome.
I did have a little apprehension representing the visiting team in a city which is so passionate about their Saints. But I quickly felt at ease because Detroit represented well, and the Saints fans were incredibly friendly, gracious.
The Superdome itself was very impressive. I was anticipating seeing a dated stadium that took a lot of abuse from Hurricane Katrina. Quite the contrary; it seemed modern, clean and logistically efficient for the 76,000 fans that inhabited its seats.
Our seats, were particularly amazing — 5th row, 50 yard line, behind the Lions bench. Cousin Matt really came through big on these!
Although the game was exciting, Saints fans ultimately had more to be happy about.
Our final night in NOLA was a little more relaxed. We spent some time walking the banks of the Mississippi River checking out the boat traffic and other sites.
Back in the French Quarter we hit a few clubs, listened to live music and even shot a little pool. The variety of what you find up and down Bourbon Street seems never ending. Although great jazz is expected, there really is something for almost everyone.
Looking back over this whirlwind of a trip, we all agree on one thing — New Orleans feels very Detroit to us. One of the reasons for this is the size and walkibility of the entertainment districts is similar in both cities. Another reason is the people. Over the past few decades, Detroit has been through financial decline, bankruptcy and is now seeing an economic and cultural renaissance. An attitude of “Detroit vs Everyone” has emerged with a resurgence of pride. The people of New Orleans have endured there own adversities, most notably one of our nation’s worst natural disasters — Hurricane Katrina. Having survived this devastating catastrophe, the people here have developed a resilience and mindset to continue living happy lives. They continue to be friendly, courteous, and perhaps, classy.
