Day Trip to New Orleans' French Quarter

We took a bus trip to New Orleans with about 100 other Escapee Club members on Wednesday.   Leaving the park at 7:15 in two buses, we arrived at the French Quarter, the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans, about 3 hours later. Rush hour traffic and changing buses in Mobile due to a malfunction made for a slow start.


We were dropped off on Decatur Street in the heart of this historic area to explore the Quarter on our own.  The weather was perfect for a walking tour .  And, even better, the crowds were light.


The French Quarter lies along the Mississippi River and was plotted by the French-Canadian officer Jean Baptiste Bienville in 1718. From 1764 to 1803 the area was under the control of Spain. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase transferred the area to the United States.  The majority of the architecture we see today was built during the time of Spanish rule.   Fires in 1788 and 1794 destroyed most of the French colonial buildings. The Spanish rebuilt the quarter in accordance with fire codes, which mandated that the new buildings be physically adjacent and close to the curb to create a firewall. Flat roofed, stucco buildings, a pastel color palette and ornate iron work are the norm.  As we toured the old streets and marveled at the distinctive architecture.

Designated as a National Historic Landmark, the below Pontalba Building sprawls at the edge of Jackson Square in the center of the French Quarter. It was built by Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba in the 1840s. Shops and restaurants are on the ground floor and the upper floors are apartments.

Note the mule drawn carriage.  There were several of these in the area offering guided tours of the sites.  Mules were used on all carriages.  Apparently, mules can more easily handle the hot and humid summers than can horses.  


Laid out as a parade ground in 1718, Jackson Square is the oldest space in the city and is the hub of the Quarter.  The square honors Andrew Jackson, the hero of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans and later President of the US.   Note the statue of Jackson on horseback erected in the 1850s  framed by the white church:

The square offered musicians, a mime, several portrait artists and musicians all plying their trade for tips from passersby.  

The above two photos were taken on the levee which protects the Quarter from the Mississippi.  The large building to the left is The Presbytere and the large building on the right is the Cabildo.  The spired structure in the center is the St. Louis Cathedral.  The cathedral established in 1720 is the oldest continuously active cathedral in the US.  The Cabildo is the site of the actual transference of the Louisiana Purchase.  It was constructed 1795-1799 and became the seat of the Spanish municipal government, the town hall.  The Presbytere  was built on the site of the residence (or "presbytere") of  the Capuchin monks.  It was designed to match the Cabildo and used as a courthouse beginning in 1834.  


And of course we enjoyed the food. We enjoyed coffee and beignets at the famous Café du Monde on Decatur Street. 

Established in 1862, its menu features beignets which are square hole-less french doughnuts mounded with powdered sugar.   Powdered sugar must be cheap as the beignets were immersed in the sweet powder :

The limited menu also offers coffee blended with chicory (either black or au lait), orange juice, milk iced coffee and sodas. Open 24 hours a day, it seats over 400 and offers both counter and table service.  A lot of coffee and beignets are served here! For less than $10, we ordered coffees and beignets (three to an order). 

Later we ate at an outdoor restaurant, “Gazebo cafe.” We were drawn to it by their live jazz band and the promise of authentic New Orleans food. I ordered a half of muffaletta (a hot sandwich with a marinated olive salad, meats and provolone cheese) and my much better half had a sampler plate of gumbo, red beans and rice and jambalaya. The food with the music was a great break from our walking tour of the city. Though carb-laden, it offered a good taste of the Quarter.  


At 3:30 we were back on the bus ready for the 175 mile return trip back home.  It was a very good day.