Tuesday, April 07, 2009

New Orleans - The Arrival, and begining of my adventure

So, this weekend was incredible. So incredible, I am breaking it into three parts. This is the first of those.

I took off for New Orleans on Saturday night, in search of a relaxing day before the birthday party, which was the reason I was heading to New Orleans.
I arrived in New Orleans and directly went to the India House Hostel where I was staying. After checking in and getting my key, I grabbed my knitting stuff, and sat out on the front porch. I immediately met 2 of the people staying there, we talked for a little while. After getting a bit of my knitting done, I decided to go do some exploring. I had never been to the Marigny or Old Algiers, so I decided to tackle that.

I took the trolley to the river and hopped on the ferry. The ride was beautiful, windy and best of all FREE! When I hopped off the large boat, I noticed there was a festival on the bank of the river. It was the Old Algiers Riverfest, so of course i found the beer trailer, grabbed a $3.00 cup of Abita Amber, a bowl of red beans and rice and a spot on the grassy levee to watch the Old Algiers Brass Band. They were really exactly what you would expect out of a New Orleans brass band, my red beans and rice were delicious, and the beer, well it was quenching and as reliably good as Abita always is.

The next band to come on the stage was Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs. They were young, fresh, a little political, and very entertaining. They were finishing up, and I decided that I would go find the bar that I was recomended by a man from the hostel.

I walked up to the Crown and Anchor Pub, and asked for a belgium beer(i was told the name by the hostel guy, but I had forgotten it at this point. I was served this great beer, [name] with a blood orange, and sat there talking to the bar tender and a man that i assume is sitting at that bar often. Aside from the people, the two neatest things about the place were their extensive collection of rubber duckies and a stack of post card that were sent from all over the world, which sit on the bar for all to read.

The bar fly recomended that i go to Mona's Cafe in the Marigny for some Mediteranian food. That is where I left to go to; I was hungry, and at this point I had several beers in my stomach, and needed something to ballence it. I board the ferry in search of this highly recomended restaurant.

The next part of my adventure will be posted soon.