I have always wanted to go to New Orleans, and Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year, so combining the two and having a life partner that was just as, if not more excited to join me on my very first trip was incredible. Dylan and I hit the Lafayette Cemetery, The Garden Disrtict, Bourbon Street, and the Mississipi River. We took a haunted french quarter tour, a swamp tour, ate some incredible food and had some major alcohol beverages! The Stealers were in town to play the Saints, plus the Voodoo Music Festival was in full effect. Basically it was a chaotic long weekend filled with beauty, darkness, and drunkeness.
Beautiful tombstones decay in the Garden District's Lafayette Cemetery #1.
On our swamp tour we saw alligators, snakes, birds and turtles. Our guide was funny and super smart. He knew everything there was to know about nature, the people and animals. On the way to the swamps, we witnessed homes still in ruins from Katrina and on the water we got a real feel for the residents and shrimp catcher's stories who are also facing the BP spill today. Such sad times for such an amazing town.
Everywhere we looked, there were balconies covered in green plants. Fluer de Lises are all over this city, people were tossing beads left and right from up above, no one was without booze. Because this was such a football-crazed weekend, black jerseys out numbered costumes, but I chose to stick with the pretty stuff and would actually like to visit during a more mellow time. However there are hundreds of festivals in New Orleans through out the year, so quiet really isn't it's thing. I felt at time is was a shame to see neon lights displayed when I was really trying to take in the spanish architecture. However, it is what is is, the locals are warm, and seem to enjoy both aspects of mystery and frat-like atmospheres.
The food was really great. We ate gumbo, rabbit-sausage jambalaya, po'boys, beans and rice, and these incredibly delicious french-style donutes from Cafe Du Monde. I recommend hitting Coop's place and Port of Calls for the best burger I've ever had. Also the voodoo hurricanes from Laffitte's Blacksmith Bar (which I thought was the coolest bar at the end of Bourbon street (soft lighting, piano tunes, out door patio, more locals than not)).
Here is the oldest Catholic Church in America, Central to Jackson square where proffessional and no-so proffessional street performers, psychics, and vampire freaks hang out.
My costume this year.
On our haunted tour we visited the Jackson hotel, an old abandoned french-style home where Interview with the Vampire was filmed, dark allies, and the infamous LaLaurie Mansion now owned by Johnny Depp.
My souveniers to take back home with me consisted of cigars, pralines, and a voodoo doll.
Anne Rice's Former Home.
