Louisiana’s French Quarters

Have you ever had one of those places that you hold near and dear to your heart despite the fact that you had never been there? Rome is one of those places for me – or more precise, the Vatican. As a Catholic, my reasons should be as obvious as the nose on my face.

Oh, and by the way – incase you were wondering, as plain as the nose on your face is a 16th century expression – talk about stamina!

Another place much closer to home that I had always wanted to visit was New Orleans French Quarter. It seemed such a romantic destination allowing for a step backwards in time to the land of Southern Bells; French Gentlemen and of course, horse drawn carriages.

My heart was beating wildly as we drove across the 5.5 mile causeway of the I-10 Twin Span Bridge. Before long New Orleans seemed to magically rise over the horizon and into view. We were here – we had at long last arrived! My rose-colored impressions of one of the oldest districts in America would soon be realized.

The French Quarters today is anything but romantic. It’s loud, it’s noise, and it seems to be in various stages of repair. Some of the shops are – well let’s just say it’s not the sort of place a lady would go. Others were fun and whimsical.

Of course, no New Orleans visit would be complete without a cup of Chicory Coffee and deep-fried Beignets at the famed Café de Monde. The notions I had in my head of this place, like the French Quarters themselves, were not the realities.

For one thing the Café de Monde is very crowded. Most of the tables are tiny, made for two, but with often with four of five people seated together. The staff is overworked, and it shows. The Beignets are so covered in powdered sugar; it’s hard to find the prized pastry beneath. Had I ordered a hot coffee, it might have actually been served in a real cup.

However; on a hot day in late July an iced coffee was more like it. Those come in disposable to-go cups. Now I will say using their customer rest room is an experience no one should miss. Men, women, boys and girls all stand in an orderly line in the main dining room. One by one you work your way through the bustling kitchen to the one tiny antiquaited bathroom facility on the grounds. That’s a memory I shall not forget. If anything, I found it charming and old-world-like.

For those of you unfamiliar with Café du Monde, it opened in 1862 in the French Market district of New Orleans. Its menu of dark roasted Coffee with Chicory and Beignets remains the same, although more pastries have been added as well as Iced Coffee, which was first served in 1988.

While New Orleans and the French Quarters were not exactly as I had imagined them to be, I’m glad that I was able to cross it off my bucket list. There are no regrets, only fond memories of the sights, the sounds and odd smells of a city with a strong heartbeat.

All in all, it was a lovely afternoon. One that I will always cherish. Even if things were not as I expected, there was magic to be had.