Of course I sleep to long to get the breakfast. But it is nice to sleep in. The weather looks great. Blue sky, sun and when I go out the humidity is very acceptable. I used sunblock today – don’t want to end up like the local crayfish.
I will try to take the 10:45 walking tour today. Our guide has studied history and gives us a short introduction to the history from the foundation of New Orleans to today. The French Quarter is all fake – it is Spanish colonial architecture what you see today. 😀 You get a good impression of the roots of the city. That’s why I like these walks. You see places you might not had stopped at, but that are very important for the history and the understanding of how the city developed. The tour takes about 2 hours.
We went along the French marked, which I didn’t see before. So that is my next stop. First a visit to a shop for hot sauce – the hottest is so hot that you have to sign a paper before you taste it (it is all your own fault then). One who does is drinking a lot afterwards. 😀 Not for me. I try some more fruity stuff and decide to buy the less hotter Serrano pineapple sauce (level 7 of 10). The mango habanero sauce was tasty, but you didn’t get the mango taste. “The End” as they call their hottest sauce could be something for colleagues who steal your food from the fridge at work.
The French marked is a mixture of street food (you can get alligator on a stick – but not for breakfast) and souvenirs. Very crowded, the prices a little bit lower than in other shops. But I don’t need nothing. Breakfast and lunch is a crepe with strawberry and cream at a french cafe close by. Nice but I don’t like that they put the bill to pay on your table when you just have started eating. That is rude and results in no tip.
More walking around in the area- Much nicer with sun than in the rain. More people, some places you have musicians on the street. You can buy a lot of crap here. One of the few cities where you can drink on the street (at least in French Quarters) and you have many “Cocktail to go” places. You can get drunk all day. Happy hours everywhere.
But I want a more quiet approach and remember the tip from the tourist information yesterday, that the green line streetcar i worth a ride to the en and back. Cheap sightseeing as I have the day pass again. Just getting to the stop and then the 45 minute ride begins. There are some very nice houses along the road. Even some you can buy – if you have the money. Passing the university and a big park. The last stop is at a big crossroad. There is not much there. But I take the opportunity to buy some fruit and drink for the evening before I take another streetcar back downtown and to the hotel. Have to write some postcards. 🙂
Very nice day with a lot of walking and much history.