NEW ORLEANS (LOUISIANA)
Blog 20 New Orleans.
Having visited the USA many times since the mid 1970’s we had never been to New Orleans while it had been on our to do list forever.
New Orleans has a reputation for being a particularly dark city. Its battles with yellow fever, the high crime rate, and being in the direct line of many hurricanes and tornadoes it led it to accumulate one of the highest death rates in United States history.
New Orleans, also known as NOLA or the Big Easy, is located along the Mississippi River in the southeastern region of the state Louisiana. New Orleans is known for its music, Creole food and unique dialects, and many festivals. The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter with its vibrant nightlife and Bourbon Street.
Hurricanes pose a severe threat to the area, and the city is particularly at risk due to its low elevation, the city is surrounded by water from the north, east, and south, and locals tell us that New Orleans is sinking. New Orleans is the USA most vulnerable city to hurricanes.
The city has historically been very vulnerable to flooding, and it is surprising that since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 little improvements have been made to low lying elevation, poor natural drainage, and proximity to multiple bodies of water.
New Orleans was severely affected by Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005, which flooded more than 80% of the city. Hurricane Katrina killed more than 1800 people and displaced thousands of residents and the population declined by 50% in the aftermath.
By the time the hurricane approached the city on August 29, 2005, the city’s flood protection system failed, resulting in the worst civil engineering disaster in American history at the time. Floodwalls and levees constructed by the US army corps of engineers failed and 80% of the city flooded. Tens of thousands of residents who had remained were rescued and/or finished up at the Super Dome or the Convention Centre. A report by the American Society of Civil Engineers says that “had the levees and floodwalls not failed and had the pump stations operated, nearly two-thirds of the deaths would not have occurred”.
DELTA WORKS IN THE NETHERLANDS
The devasting floods in the Netherlands occurred in 1953 in which 1836 people died and 2070 square kilometres of land flooded. The construction of the Delta Works was now of great urgency and began in 1954 and was completed in 1986. The work consists of Dams, Sluices, Dykes, Levees, Locks, and Storm surge barriers over an area of around 200 kilometres. The Storm surge barrier closes only when the sea-level is expected to rise 3 metres above mean sea level. Under normal conditions the estuary’s mouth is open and saltwater flows in and out with the tide.
The Delta Works have been declared one of the seven wonders of the modern world by the American society of civil Engineers. A report by the American society of civil Engineers claims that “New Orleans is sinking. Erosion and wetland loss are huge problems along Louisiana’s coast. Large portions of New Orleans are below sea level and continue to sink”. I just wonder why none of this expertise with the Delta Works has been used in New Orleans.
New Orleans’ tourist and convention industry is an $7.5 billion industry that accounts for 40 percent of city tax revenues.
New Orleans has many visitor attractions, from the French Quarter to Magazine Street with its boutique stores and antique shops.
New Orleans is one of the top ten most-visited cities in the United States; The greater New Orleans area has a population of 1.2 million, while the city receives over 11 million visitors per year. With over 270 hotels and 40000 rooms the city is marketed as a convention, festival, and party destination.
New Orleans offers stylish boutique hotels, a great vibrant bar and entertainment scene, live music/concerts, and bands. Over 130 great festivals per year occur in New Orleans, with the big Mardi Gras in February, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans Voodoo Fest, Essence Music Festival, Southern Decadence, just to name a few.
The city is ranked second in the USA for friendliness, but placed near the bottom of the list when it comes to cleanliness or as a family destination. The main reason is that New Orleans rates extremely high in regard to violent crime, with nearly 300 murders in 2023.
New Orleans is a city with a rich history that beckons visitors with its vibrant culture, and the live music scene. From the Mardi Gras celebrations to the historic architecture, there is no shortage of experiences to be had in this soulful city. Among its most fascinating and hidden gem attractions are the cemeteries.
New Orleans Cemeteries
Most people in New Orleans in the past were buried above ground. When the flood season came, the water table would rise beneath the coffins, pushing them like corks out of the ground and human remains would wash away through the city streets!
Around 15 New Orleans cemeteries contain tombs built above ground. This is due to much of New Orleans actually being below the water table. The low elevation and high-water table cause frequent flooding, however alternative green solutions have been developed over time providing more sustainable options for those wishing to lay their loved ones to rest without compromising on nature’s balance or beauty.
The Garden District
The Garden District is a historic section of Uptown New Orleans lined with shady oak trees, classic New Orleans architecture and lots of shops and restaurants along the way. Bound by St. Charles Avenue, Magazine Street, Jackson Avenue and Louisiana Avenue, this little stretch of a neighborhood makes for a perfect day in New Orleans away from Bourbon street. Here, you’ll find classy streetcars, mansions and mansions turned into apartment buildings, and quirky local businesses.
STREET CARS
Streetcars are a charming and convenient way to experience the many areas of New Orleans. Four distinct lines, each originating Downtown, will take you through the French Quarter and beyond to places you might not otherwise get to see.
The 4 street cars lines are: The Charles street car line, The Canal street car line, the Riverfront street car line, and the Rampart/Saint Claude street car line
Bourbon Street in the city’s historic French Quarter: New Orleans’ creative, laid-back spirit is active, but there is more to drinking here than downing frozen daiquiris and Hand Grenades on Bourbon Street. Drinking in New Orleans is a celebration of the local culture, discovering local beers, sipping fine wines, or nursing hand-crafted cocktails with oversized ice cubes for the slow melt and you will find a barstool or booth with your name on it in New Orleans.
We loved Bourbon Street in the city’s historic French Quarter. Mention New Orleans and Bourbon Street is the next topic of discussion. Beyond the strip clubs and t-shirt shops, the stage is set for having a fun time at dance clubs and bars with live music and karaoke. No complaining about crowds, and loud music. If that is a bother, a quiet hotel bar on Royal Street is a better fit. But if strong drinks and a party scene is in order, it does not get better than Bourbon.
Our top entertainment spots in New Orleans were: World Famous Cat’s Meow Karaoke, Saints and Sinners, Bayou Club, Honky tonk Bar, Krazy Korner, Pat O’Brien’s Courtyard Restaurant, Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, Maison Bourbon.
A must do pub is the Jean Lafitte’s blacksmith shop bar. It is recognized as the oldest bar in the United States. The building was built between 1722 and 1723. Functioning as a blacksmith shop by day, hence the name, the building was a base of smuggling activity by night for Jean Lafitte and his brother Pierre. The Bar still provides an experience that’s uniquely New Orleans. The bar is mostly lit by candles, and local musicians regularly lead sing-alongs at the piano bar in the back.
Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub was the most expensive Pub we visited at AUD $101.50 for 2 local beers, 1 wine and 1 gin and tonic. PFFFFFFFFF NOT INCLUDED TIP
Some of the best cocktails on offer in Bourbon Street are: The Hand Grenade, Sex on the Balcony, The Hurricane, Absinthe Frappe, Sazerac, Mother’s Milk, Green Monster, Burlesque Stress, and the Vieux Carré. Please Note: respect the STRONG DRINKS on Bourbon Street, so your experience ends in cheers, not tears.
Since we left San Antonio in Texas the weather has not be really kind to us. With Tornadoes, Hurricanes and now in New Orleans huge thunderstorms and local flooding, we decided to move North away from the coast to Memphis following Highway 61 made famous by Bob Dylon in his song “Highway 61 revisited in 1965”.
Leaving New Orleans we took The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, more commonly known as The Causeway crossing lake Pontchartrain. The bridge is 38.35 km long. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway holds the Guiness world record for the for longest continuous span over water in the world. It used to be the longest bridge over water until in 2011 the Chinese finished the Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay bridge opened.
Till next time from Memphis
Areas we missed due to severe weather:
- The Barataria Preserve. The preserve has boat tours through bottomland hardwood forests, swamps, and marsh.
- Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. 93 square kilometres of fresh and brackish marshes located within the city limit. It is the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States. The wildlife include waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, marsh rabbits, Pelicans, Alligators, and other small mammals and reptiles.