The Big Easy

I speak, naturally, of New Orleans. As someone who was lucky enough to visit pre-Katrina, my memories of the city are fond.

The reasons for that are many. It's not just because of the trips to Bourbon Street - the official party central at NO. Sure, we spent every evening there and it was not hard to revel in the cheerful, if less than sober bonhomie. Nor was it only because we were with good friends who made the trip so much more enjoyable.

It's the sheer joie de vivre that characterizes New Orleans - and you see it everywhere. In the music that pulsates through the French Quarter, the savory aromas of Creole cooking that wrap themselves around you. The burst of colour & creativity from the works of street artists. The ease with which conventional religion co-exists with voodoo and the old arts. The home of Mardi Gras & Sugar bowl, Jazz & Zydeco - it's all that & more.

Just steps away from the Quarter's historic flavor, there's the Mississippi. Spanned by bridges and worked by boats, the mighty river has truly shaped the NO's destiny. Built where the river curves, the Crescent City actually lies below the water level. Riverboat gambling is an old tradition here, as is the marine produce. There's an the old joke in Louisiana - if it moves, it can be eaten. Only, it's the truth.

We took a streetcar trip into the Garden District, with its antebellum homes and old money. Window shopped at the antique stores, gazed in wonder at the Mardi Gras & Voodoo museums. Had cafe au lait and beignets - sugar sprinkled french donuts - at Cafe Du Monde. Tasted the Po Boy sandwich - another Louisiana special. Took a day cruise on the river, and another on the Bayou.

Our five days there just flew. Like its famous Gumbo - a savory stew - New Orleans is a melting pot. Of cultures Cajun & Black. Of experiences rich and uplifting. Of auras bright & mysterious.



Le bon temps roule, they say. No wonder - because good times indeed rule here.