New Orleans (NOLA)

It's time to party! After another long day of multiple flights and buses we arrive in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana).

We're staying about a 15min walk from the French Quarter in the Seventh Ward. It's a lot more 'authentic' then we expected as we cautiously walk through the majority Africa American neighborhood to our airbnb place! It's pouring down rain and it's takes a while to get a hold of our host. Dhileep and Emily arrive late after flying in from Vancouver and are perplexed as to why we are staying in the Ghetto........

The accomodation is what they call a shotgun apartment. A very narrow apartment with 1 row of rooms throughout. Our room is at the front followed by a utility room, the hosts bedroom (separated by sheets hanging from the roof), another airbnb room, the kitchen and then the bathroom. It's a very weird setup having to walk through a makeshift corridor (demarcated with sheets) just to get to the bathroom. Our hosts are weird and act like hermits so we don't see them much.

Day 1
We hungrily stroll into the French quarter and make the mistake of stopping at the first Po Boy joint (popular over stuffed sub) we see. We started saying hello to all the locals in our district and suddenly realized how stereotypical we had become. Everyone was so friendly and all of a sudden we felt welcomed to be in this neighborhood.

Suki signed us up for a walking tour which was way too informative for the blistering heat and humidity - so we all agreed to bail and had cocktaiks on Bourbon st before returning home to drink beer all arvo. We make friends with Erin (the other airbnb guest) and she plays some live music with a guitar we found in the house as we manage to drink all the beers in the fridge.

It's time for dinner and we're ready to go after researching all the fancy restaurants. The French Quarter is alive and starting to look like a street festival so it's time for a round of the infamous 'Hand Granedes' (1L cocktails in a grenade shaped plastic yard glass). It's worth noting that one of the perks NOLA is the ability to legally drink in the street! The hand grenades certainly did their magic and our ambitions of eating over priced ribs in an expensive hotel are unanimously substituted for take away monster pizza slices and chicken wings. Another hand grenade and we decide to head home. It's only 1030pm but feels like we've been awake for days.

Day 2
Slow start with minor hangovers, we went for another stroll into town for brunch at a place called the Rose Piroud. The food is incredible and we got the eggs benny with alligator sausage. Later that arvo we had a stuffed seafood and sweet 'bignets' (donut shaped pastries) before we went on a swamp tour (see our separate blog).

Got back to town at 7pm and went to the Royal Oyster Bar and had a New Orleans tasting plate showing case the creole highlights of jimbolaya and gumbo with a side of a half dozen oysters. The booze kept on flowing and we walked over to Marigny district and checked out the nightlife in Frenchman St popping into a few different jazz. Def a much better place for nightlife then the crowded drunken French quarter! Suki demanded fried chicken so we walked all the way back to Bourbon St.

Day 3
Another slow start. Got a cab to the posh 'garden district' and had a nice brunch at Coulis then walked around checking out the fancy mansions and the cemetery. A quick afternoon nap was required to get ready to celebrate 4th July.

We wonder back to the French quarter expecting mayhem but it's almost dead. We crowd alongside the Mississippi River and watch the fireworks. The vibe just isn't alive as we try to find some busy bars with live music. 1L frozen margaritas all round as we slowly wonder back home.

Time has flown the last few days as we say goodbye so Dhilleep, Emily and our new friend Erin. It's the end of another adventure for Team Brown. #TBRead more