Life at 6 (kn) - Sailing the Loop: New Orleans

Zach on Bourbon Street

We barely had the boat tied up and the slip paid for and Zach was getting eager to go exploring. So off we go. We had a great Uber driver and he suggested Frenchman street for dinner. Better music, better food, according to him. John dropped us off on the corner of Royal St. and Esplanade Ave., and said “just take a left and go two blocks to the start of Frenchman St”. It was too early to eat so we turned right and headed to Bourbon St. Fortunately it was still early, which would mean it wasn’t too crazy, I think it best to ease Zach into the craziness that is N.O.

By the time we walked the length of Bourbon Street and took in what it had to offer, we decided to head over to Jackson Square. It was getting time for dinner, but instead of heading back to Frenchman Street, we found a place that had a balcony that overlooked the Mississippi River and had some great Cajun food, Crawfish Etouffee and a Shrimp Po-Boy with a side of fried crawfish. We explored the area a little more before heading back to the boat.

On Wednesday morning we purchased tickets for the Hop-on Hop-off bus. Theresa and I have used the Hop-on Hop-off busses in other cities and found they give a good a guided tour of the city as well as allow you the flexibility to explore on your own. The great thing is that each bus has a tour guide on board. Each one of them tells the story just a little differently. Zach and I decided to get on and ride the entire 2-hour loop and then decide what we want to go back to explore. The guide, Steve, liked to talk about the original settlers of the area. New Orleans is celebrating its tri-centennial this year.

Joan of Arc was a gift from France in 1972
Locals call her Joanie on the Pony

French explorers, fur trappers and traders arrived in the area by the 1690s. The French fur trappers worked with Chitimacha Indians, who inhabited the land when they arrived. By the end of the decade, a French made an encampment called "Port Bayou St. Jean" was informally developed. The natives warned the Frenchman that that the land was not good. Despite this warning, the plans for the city of La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans) were developed in Spring of 1718 by the French entrepreneur and trader Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. The Original city is now called the French Quarter of New Orleans.

And in the French Quarter is Bourbon Street. Although Bourbon Street was not named after a beverage that flows freely there, they do both have similar roots. Bourbon Street paid homage to France's ruling family of the time, the House of Bourbon. It is claimed that Kentucky Bourbon whiskey’s name may have originated from Bourbon County, KY which was named after France’s House of Bourbon. Paris, KY is located in Bourbon County, KY. Too many coincidences.

Jackson Square at Sunset
St. Louis Cathedral

After the bus ride, we set off to find a vendor at the French Market for Zach’s mom. She had an order for him if we found him. We thought found him and sent a message to Kelly to confirm. We will be back tomorrow to place the order, if it is the right place.

Lessons Learned:

Kentucky has some common threads with New Orleans.