Thank you so much for sharing! Your writing made me feel like I was there. Even when you said. "... but a typical scenario is that after a year, the bones of the departed are swept into an opening in the floor of the tomb." What the what? So. Where do the bones go? Are they dumped into the ground, given back to the earth? Is there a furnace underneath where they're burned? This inquiring mind wants to know.
LOL I know right!!?? It's all so fascinating and I'd love to be there on a day when the graveyard-keeper does this! Try googling to see if there's more detailed info. I didn't search that hard but there's got to be something out there!
This was goooood. I can't believe I haven't been yet---though I'm more attracted to the bayou than blues. I do love creeping around cemeteries and appreciated your tomb tutorial (I do recall your Jamaican post about the elaborate house replica grave markers on the island).
There are so many good docs and series about what happened after Katrina, all heartbreaking in one way or another. The series I mentioned in the Jamaica crypt post (called Treme on HBO) is fantastically gritty and full of Louisiana culture.
And yah, if you like creepy, NOLA is the place. You can even go see voodoo readers and voodoo shops lol. It's a big thing down there.
We had friends that went a few years ago. Apparently Kim (not my wife, Kim), has harbored a long-time fantasy of having her teeth shaped like a vampire. Who knew this was a thing? (She didn't do it, but was in her voodoo/vampire element in NOLA). I forgot to mention that we used to fish (for anything) using mini marshmallows at my grandmother's pond (no gators). We did catch snapping turtles, sunfish and catfish using them---so, apparently marshmallows make for great bait.
That Katrina doc is a heartbreaker AND heart warmer all in one.
UPDATE: I just clicked that link to watch the trailer and I'm now sitting at my office desk bawling. I need to watch this one in solitary confinement. 😭
Wow, this was a fabulous read. I've never felt like I left anything in New Orleans, if you get my drift. Never had a desire to visit. And this post definitely has given me a new outlook. Thank you so much. If my travels bring me to New Orleans, I will keep these tips in mind! Thanks so much! 💕
Thanks, Sue. I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Honestly, if I weren't so into live jazz, blues, etc., I probably wouldn't have considered NOLA either. I certainly never wanted to take part in anything like Mardi Gras (I'm not one for huge street crowds). But I'm SO glad I went, and I definitely left a piece of myself there. I will return one day!
Yes, it's the huge partying crowds that I think of when I think of NOLA, so that has always left me unexcited. I'm much more of a mountain girl. But I do love music and food, and history, so I'm open now! It sounds kind of like Las Vegas, another place low on my list, but once we got out of Vegas proper and visited the outskirts, I had a great time. Thanks again!
I haven’t been to New Orleans in at least 20 years. I remember having a great time and the food was sooooo good! Did you have beignets? This reminds me it’s time to revisit!
NOLA was my most-want-to-go-place-in-the-world! While I loved my time there it was somewhat marred by an extremely strict student budget that required me standing outside the bar with the band I wanted to hear because I couldn't afford the cover. However, we made it work and it was wonderful and I would go back in a heartbeat. I loved this essay, thank you Kristi!
Budgets suck and right now America does too (although not the American people, or not the ones I know. They are all amazing and I am feeling their pain.)
As am I. 99% of my clients are good American citizens who feel like they need to apologize for what that Trumpster Fire of a human is doing. It's so sad.
Welllllll….my eldest son was a police officer in NOLA from 2017-2022! Fun fact: my massage license is from the state of Louisiana although I’ve never done a massage there before lol 😂 I keep my license current though, just for the record 😉
I have many a fond memory of NOLA and the surrounding areas and while my son no longer lives there, I do imagine that I will return one day, wishfully with my husband so he can experience the NOLA magic, too. I’ve seen some buildings here in Jamaica 🇯🇲 that remind me of NOLA and I always love to see them.
I’m not one to do tours so much when I travel and I have to agree that NOLA is definitely a place for that! I love the cemeteries and the ghost tours are incredible experiences. I went to a plantation once as well and our experiences were similar…a heavy heart indeed being there and I was so glad when my son and his wife got married in NOLA that they adamantly decided against doing it on a plantation.
Ooooh the fun we will have chatting in person one day, dear Kristi!! 🫂🙏🩵✨🦄🪄
Oh wow, a police officer in NOLA must have been challenging at times. So much debauchery there I'd imagine lol.
You're right about the buildings being similar to some in Jamaica. So much vibrant color compared to all the BLAH colors everywhere else. It has such charm and character.
Your travel writing is enchanting. I bet that someone would pay you to visit every single US city and do a deep dive like this. There’s just something about the joy in your learning that is contagious.. visit more places🤗
Teyani, this is the best comment I've read all day!!! Thank you for saying this ❤️❤️❤️ Although, I think I'd choose Canada first. There are so many bucket list destinations on my Canada list!
Such a fun read. NOLA is one of my favorite cities. Every time I go, I find something new to love about the city. A new neighborhood or bar or restaurant. The last time I was there was two years ago, we finally were there during Carnival season and got to see a parade.
Great one Kristi! Love NOLA. When we were first flying from San Fran to MX (Cancun area) there was a connection in NOLA. We asked at the counter if we could jump off (4pm) and catch the 10am next day, for last leg into MX, one hour. Sure they said. Well, thus began a long and wonderful love affair w/ that fair and wonderful city. We'd eat our way through each time, find wonderful small hotels, ate oysters, listened to music, walked the quarter and the boroughs. What a blast. This was a nice reminder of how much I love that city!!!
I was dirt poor when I visited NO years ago. My recollections are of the smell of urine in the streets and the Red Roof Inn we stayed in. Need to go back and get some better memories!
I've been to NOLA a couple of times but always on some sort of schedule - my son's wedding, a professional conference, etc. I saw some of what you talked about but to see it all in just 10 days must have been magnificent! I'll have to go back without a limiting schedule. Thanks for the tip.
At first all I could think about was the terrorist attack Jan 1 in NO but your words lulled me away. It was nice to be reminded of the originality and beauty of NO and its residents. 🥰🙏
Yah, every time I hear of something bad happening there my heart goes out to the people. I still keep in touch with a few who live there. When that other hurricane hit them a few years ago all I could think about were the people I know.
If not for hurricanes, I would have tried to go live there a long time ago, just for the music. I can see myself in a colorful little shotgun house, sitting on my porch sipping iced tea hahaha.
I went to New Orleans in the early 2000's--before Katrina--shortly after Mardi Gras. Your description of Bourbon Street was spot on, even all those years ago. The morning smell of stale beer. The stickiness of the uneven brick under my tennis shoes. The tacky shops. (LOVE that shirt, by the way. Did you buy it?) I enjoyed many of the same things you did. But in addition to the music, what set MY soul on fire was the food. Shrimp etouffee, Po' Boys. I tried rabbit fricassee and frog legs for the first time. Loved the beignets at Cafe Du Monde--the chickory coffee not so much.
Thanks for the tips, Kristi. They'll be useful for when I go back. And if you're looking for another music-oriented trip with terrific local talent, check out Austin, Texas.
I'm so glad you jumped into the comments and shared this Cathy. It really is everything they say, and so much more! I did not buy that shirt 😂 Funny fact....I posted that photo on Facebook and it got removed and I received a warning LOL!!
I bet the shrimp was delicious. I found NOLA wasn't very vegetarian-friendly. I don't eat meat, but I do eat fish, and their blackened anything was incredible!!
Thanks for the tip about Austin. I've heard the same about Nashville as well.
Thank you so much for sharing! Your writing made me feel like I was there. Even when you said. "... but a typical scenario is that after a year, the bones of the departed are swept into an opening in the floor of the tomb." What the what? So. Where do the bones go? Are they dumped into the ground, given back to the earth? Is there a furnace underneath where they're burned? This inquiring mind wants to know.
LOL I know right!!?? It's all so fascinating and I'd love to be there on a day when the graveyard-keeper does this! Try googling to see if there's more detailed info. I didn't search that hard but there's got to be something out there!
That job honestly sounds like it would make a good story... LOL
Imagine!! Especially celebrity ones.
This was goooood. I can't believe I haven't been yet---though I'm more attracted to the bayou than blues. I do love creeping around cemeteries and appreciated your tomb tutorial (I do recall your Jamaican post about the elaborate house replica grave markers on the island).
You MUST watch this film: MINE. It's about the dogs and cats that were affected by the hurricane and how ownership of lost pets became so controversial. https://www.imdb.com/video/vi1593115673/?ref_=tt_vi_i_1
Will it make me cry??
There are so many good docs and series about what happened after Katrina, all heartbreaking in one way or another. The series I mentioned in the Jamaica crypt post (called Treme on HBO) is fantastically gritty and full of Louisiana culture.
And yah, if you like creepy, NOLA is the place. You can even go see voodoo readers and voodoo shops lol. It's a big thing down there.
We had friends that went a few years ago. Apparently Kim (not my wife, Kim), has harbored a long-time fantasy of having her teeth shaped like a vampire. Who knew this was a thing? (She didn't do it, but was in her voodoo/vampire element in NOLA). I forgot to mention that we used to fish (for anything) using mini marshmallows at my grandmother's pond (no gators). We did catch snapping turtles, sunfish and catfish using them---so, apparently marshmallows make for great bait.
That Katrina doc is a heartbreaker AND heart warmer all in one.
UPDATE: I just clicked that link to watch the trailer and I'm now sitting at my office desk bawling. I need to watch this one in solitary confinement. 😭
I will definitely watch it. Kind of like Pitbulls & Parolees...it mixes ALL the emotions.
Wow, this was a fabulous read. I've never felt like I left anything in New Orleans, if you get my drift. Never had a desire to visit. And this post definitely has given me a new outlook. Thank you so much. If my travels bring me to New Orleans, I will keep these tips in mind! Thanks so much! 💕
Thanks, Sue. I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Honestly, if I weren't so into live jazz, blues, etc., I probably wouldn't have considered NOLA either. I certainly never wanted to take part in anything like Mardi Gras (I'm not one for huge street crowds). But I'm SO glad I went, and I definitely left a piece of myself there. I will return one day!
Yes, it's the huge partying crowds that I think of when I think of NOLA, so that has always left me unexcited. I'm much more of a mountain girl. But I do love music and food, and history, so I'm open now! It sounds kind of like Las Vegas, another place low on my list, but once we got out of Vegas proper and visited the outskirts, I had a great time. Thanks again!
I haven’t been to New Orleans in at least 20 years. I remember having a great time and the food was sooooo good! Did you have beignets? This reminds me it’s time to revisit!
I sure did!! Beignets were a whole story in itself! Delicious...but don't wear black 🤣
NOLA was my most-want-to-go-place-in-the-world! While I loved my time there it was somewhat marred by an extremely strict student budget that required me standing outside the bar with the band I wanted to hear because I couldn't afford the cover. However, we made it work and it was wonderful and I would go back in a heartbeat. I loved this essay, thank you Kristi!
Ooooh man, that's so unfortunate!! I've done travels like that where I couldn't afford to breathe the air 🤣 Budgets suck.
I'd go back in a heartbeat as well, just not until America is America again and not Gilead lol.
Yes and yes.
Budgets suck and right now America does too (although not the American people, or not the ones I know. They are all amazing and I am feeling their pain.)
As am I. 99% of my clients are good American citizens who feel like they need to apologize for what that Trumpster Fire of a human is doing. It's so sad.
Trumpster fire🤣🤣
LOOOL that was my favorite thing I’ve ever invented hahahaa! Trump rhymes with DUMP.
Welllllll….my eldest son was a police officer in NOLA from 2017-2022! Fun fact: my massage license is from the state of Louisiana although I’ve never done a massage there before lol 😂 I keep my license current though, just for the record 😉
I have many a fond memory of NOLA and the surrounding areas and while my son no longer lives there, I do imagine that I will return one day, wishfully with my husband so he can experience the NOLA magic, too. I’ve seen some buildings here in Jamaica 🇯🇲 that remind me of NOLA and I always love to see them.
I’m not one to do tours so much when I travel and I have to agree that NOLA is definitely a place for that! I love the cemeteries and the ghost tours are incredible experiences. I went to a plantation once as well and our experiences were similar…a heavy heart indeed being there and I was so glad when my son and his wife got married in NOLA that they adamantly decided against doing it on a plantation.
Ooooh the fun we will have chatting in person one day, dear Kristi!! 🫂🙏🩵✨🦄🪄
Oh wow, a police officer in NOLA must have been challenging at times. So much debauchery there I'd imagine lol.
You're right about the buildings being similar to some in Jamaica. So much vibrant color compared to all the BLAH colors everywhere else. It has such charm and character.
Indeed we have much to chat about someday!
Love this Kristi!!
Your travel writing is enchanting. I bet that someone would pay you to visit every single US city and do a deep dive like this. There’s just something about the joy in your learning that is contagious.. visit more places🤗
Teyani, this is the best comment I've read all day!!! Thank you for saying this ❤️❤️❤️ Although, I think I'd choose Canada first. There are so many bucket list destinations on my Canada list!
New Orleans is now on my bucket list.
I so would, the balconies with all the hanging baskets ❤️❤️
You would love all the hanging flowers there!!
Such a fun read. NOLA is one of my favorite cities. Every time I go, I find something new to love about the city. A new neighborhood or bar or restaurant. The last time I was there was two years ago, we finally were there during Carnival season and got to see a parade.
Amazing! I have not seen a parade yet but I was there during the jazz festival. Such an great city!
Great one Kristi! Love NOLA. When we were first flying from San Fran to MX (Cancun area) there was a connection in NOLA. We asked at the counter if we could jump off (4pm) and catch the 10am next day, for last leg into MX, one hour. Sure they said. Well, thus began a long and wonderful love affair w/ that fair and wonderful city. We'd eat our way through each time, find wonderful small hotels, ate oysters, listened to music, walked the quarter and the boroughs. What a blast. This was a nice reminder of how much I love that city!!!
What an awesome story of how you first learned you loved it! I love that type of spontaneity!
This trip was in 2019 and I was 100% going back in 2020...but then the pandemic hit and it never happened.
But it's still very high on my radar of return trips to make.
I've never been, you're making me want to go there!
It's amazing!!
I was dirt poor when I visited NO years ago. My recollections are of the smell of urine in the streets and the Red Roof Inn we stayed in. Need to go back and get some better memories!
Right?!
LOL well it probably still smells like urine but try leaving Bourbon Street and you might have a better time!
I've been to NOLA a couple of times but always on some sort of schedule - my son's wedding, a professional conference, etc. I saw some of what you talked about but to see it all in just 10 days must have been magnificent! I'll have to go back without a limiting schedule. Thanks for the tip.
You’re welcome, and trust me, the pleasure is all mine when sharing amazing travel experiences!
At first all I could think about was the terrorist attack Jan 1 in NO but your words lulled me away. It was nice to be reminded of the originality and beauty of NO and its residents. 🥰🙏
Yah, every time I hear of something bad happening there my heart goes out to the people. I still keep in touch with a few who live there. When that other hurricane hit them a few years ago all I could think about were the people I know.
My friend’s son is a bass cellist there. He loves it!
If not for hurricanes, I would have tried to go live there a long time ago, just for the music. I can see myself in a colorful little shotgun house, sitting on my porch sipping iced tea hahaha.
The crocodiles freak me out.
Same!! I took that video in my post and that thing was only feet away from me 😲
Wow - we've always mentioned going to New Orleans as a bit of an aside - now I'm officially adding it to the bucket list. 'Sounds' amazing. 🎶
It truly is! I would love to go back but ….our Canadian dollar SUCKS right now and it wouldn’t be financially worth it.
I went to New Orleans in the early 2000's--before Katrina--shortly after Mardi Gras. Your description of Bourbon Street was spot on, even all those years ago. The morning smell of stale beer. The stickiness of the uneven brick under my tennis shoes. The tacky shops. (LOVE that shirt, by the way. Did you buy it?) I enjoyed many of the same things you did. But in addition to the music, what set MY soul on fire was the food. Shrimp etouffee, Po' Boys. I tried rabbit fricassee and frog legs for the first time. Loved the beignets at Cafe Du Monde--the chickory coffee not so much.
Thanks for the tips, Kristi. They'll be useful for when I go back. And if you're looking for another music-oriented trip with terrific local talent, check out Austin, Texas.
I'm so glad you jumped into the comments and shared this Cathy. It really is everything they say, and so much more! I did not buy that shirt 😂 Funny fact....I posted that photo on Facebook and it got removed and I received a warning LOL!!
I bet the shrimp was delicious. I found NOLA wasn't very vegetarian-friendly. I don't eat meat, but I do eat fish, and their blackened anything was incredible!!
Thanks for the tip about Austin. I've heard the same about Nashville as well.