Eating Some Words & Beignets Today

Okay, I spoke too soon yesterday.  Peggy and I motored around New Orleans' Garden District and French Quarter today and saw a different picture than that of late yesterday afternoon: very few bums on the street!  We did this early, after checking out from the hotel, 9 a.m.  First, I thought you'd enjoy our photo of the SuperDome all lit up last night.  It looks like a big spaceship!

SuperDome is in the center, lit up pink.

The Garden District is an area of grand and grander homes, painted in white and pastel colors, most having ornate black iron fences of varying heights and, appropriately, fabulous gardens.  The Trolley runs through the center of the main street.  Oh, that we had time to ride all around the city!  Many homes are Victorian, many have the traditional balconies that hallmark New Orleans.  The ancient trees sometimes form canopies over the streets.  This was thoroughly enjoyable.

One of our favorite old homes from the Garden District.

Next, we checked out parking close to the St. Louis Cathedral and found a city lot between the church, the trolley tracks and a walkway next to the Mississippi River. We sat on a park bench noticing ships moored, ships passing by quickly and ships on the horizon.  Nearby was a lone trumpeter.

Bridge over the Mighty, Muddy Mississippi

There is a spacious city park in front of the Cathedral where one can meander among rose bushes and palm trees and view the magnificent church building.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, New Orleans

In this holy building, dedicated to Saint Louis/King Louis IX (13th Century) of France, one can be transported with heavenly visions of Jesus, his mother Mary, many saints and angels through the ornate stained glass windows, statues and paintings on the walls and ceilings.  It is our Catholic custom to bow in front of the main altar in honor of God whom we worship in Mass, at other services, and even privately.  I found myself bowing many times as I crossed in front of the altar to explore the side altars, main altar, paintings everywhere, statues and finally, the grand organ in the rear choir loft.

The Main Altar with Jesus, center, Statue of St. Peter, right, and St. Paul, left.  Inscription above the altar states, in Latin: "This is the Bread of Angels."

 

Statue on right side of rear entrance honoring St. Louis

Statue on left side of rear entrance honoring St. Joan of Arc, a French Saint

This Catholic parish was founded in the year 1718 - almost 3 centuries old!  The inscriptions underneath The Stations of the Cross on the Walls are in French.  What a fabulous history!

Coming into the increasing heat and humidity of the day, Peggy and I decided to visit several neighboring shops and stop at Du Cafe Du Monde (The Cafe of the World), across the street, for iced coffee and beignets, french doughnuts heaped with powdered sugar.  This was a large, outdoor cafe brimmed full of tourists of many nationalities, seranaded by a guitarist on the sidewalk.  After lingering at several more shops (Peggy finally found some Mardi Gras beads for her sister, Barbara), Peggy and I made a slow trek back to our hot-as-a-stove car.

We drove through Bourbon Street once more to reach Canal Street where we hoped to find directions to I-10.  At this time, noon, Bourbon Street was virtually abandoned with most shops closed and windows shuttered up.  It still was what I'd refer to as a 'seedy' area.  There were a few lone tourists and not many others evident except for numerous delivery trucks and one lone police car stopped in the middle of a street.  Bourbon Street and all of the nearby streets are one-way and extremely narrow.  One drives very slowly, especially at the intersections.

Balconies abound on Bourbon Street

 
Alas, it was time to go and drive at least 200 miles West on I-10 as we had planned.  Louisiana has lakes, rivers, bays and swamps everywhere.  Quite notable was Lake Bigeau, widely flooded.

Tonight we staying in Lake Charles, LA.  Tomorrow we enter the Great State of TEXAS!!