Crescent City: Voodoo, Gumbo & All That Jazz

New Orleans was a trip! I left two copies of the Travelling Quran throughout the city during my stay.  I was only able to visit for two days, but it was long enough to get a taste of the French Quarter.  All I can say is I will definitely go back for more.  

Everyone always told me that New Orleans wouldn't be much fun for a Muslim since we don't drink, but I am happy to say that is false. Practicing Muslims can (and should!) enjoy New Orleans as much as everyone else. 



Here's why -

The Ambiance. The architecture is simply amazing. There's a lot of soul in those streets and you feel it as you stroll through the French Quarter. Street performers play music or sit in awkward statue poses, horses carry smiling faces to Cafe Du Monde for a sweet treat, and painters proudly display their works while they fine tune a new masterpiece before your eyes. Your lungs will be bursting with radiant energy as you breathe in the sunny air and absorb the smells, sights, and sounds of this old and vibrant city.

The Food.  O Lawd have mercy - I wish I were a cow so I could pack all of it into two stomachs.

I went to Arnaud's Restaurant for a classy dinner and some live Jazz. The service is perfect, the food is divine, and the musicians look (and sound!) like they stepped out of an old timey black and white movie.  

I ordered Alligator sausage with much gusto - finally a cajun sausage that I am allowed to eat! It was served with a dollop of dijon mustard but I found that it detracted from the taste of the meat.  Alligator is surprisingly delicious and doesn't have a reptile taste, as expected.  This is a must for every food connoisseur. 

Next was seafood gumbo - how could I leave Louisiana without tasting REAL gumbo? It was awesome.  Every other gumbo I've ever had was a lie. I must learn to master this.

After I was stuffed to my gills (or so I thought), I went for a walk and stumbled upon a seafood joint open at 11pm.  I went inside and found what I had been waiting for: Crawfish. 

Boiled buttery cajun goodness.  

These little buggers didn't last long. 

I went to the infamous Cafe Du Monde for breakfast the next day.  It was good, however, it was overrated.  Dont order the iced coffees - they are all ice splashed with a thimble of coffee. The beignets are good, but after standing in line for 30 minutes sweating under burning sun I got turned away because they don't accept debit/credit cards.  It's absurd - take cash (or gold doubloons). 

The People

Sure, there are plenty of strange people, and if you're into people watching then you're in for a real treat here, especially if you're sober like me. The key to successful and dignified (is there such a thing?) people watching in New Orleans is knowing when to go home. There's a fine line between strange party behavior and lewd, dirty, naked, drunken behavior. That line is crossed instantaneously without much warning.  Things go from funny and crazy to shocking and crazy pretty fast.  Luckily I was getting into a cab to head back to my hotel when that happened. So Cinderella, you better leave the ball by the stroke of midnight or the whole city will turn into a drunken pumpkin. 

I advise more conservative folks and people with children to enjoy the daytime scene, there's plenty to do 24/7.

The Fashion (or lack thereof)

We've already established that New Orleans has some crazy people. That being said, it also makes New Orleans an extremely tolerant city.  I mean, nothing you do could cause them to bat an eyelash.  There are no fashion police (although sometimes I thought there should be, because DANG, leotards can only stretch so much). You can wear whatever you want - we all have that one outfit (or five) that we are dying to wear but arent quite sure if it makes us look like a hobo. Guess what? In New Orleans it doesn't matter! I chose a vintage piece that I picked up in Texas at a Mexican flea market for $6.  I probably looked crazy, but I felt awesome and that is the essence of New Orleans.

The Music
There could be an entire blog dedicated to the  Music of Nawlins.  It is everywhere. A random guy on the street plays guitar while a fiddler duels against him across the intersection.  Bars have live bands of all flavors; 80s, Bluegrass, Rock, Indie, Folk, Country, and, of course  Jazz. If you take a walk after dinner you will see the doorways wide open to give you a taste of the musical magic going on inside. Saxophones, trumpets, banjos, drums, washboards - you name it, it's there.  Most places don't even have a cover.  If you feel inspired, there are also a handful of karaoke bars, which brings me back to the ripe people-watching opportunities discussed earlier.  It's worth popping your head in to see.  

The Heart

The people of New Orleans have suffered so many losses and hardships over the years, but they are still smiling.  These are some of the nicest folks I have ever met, for real, and they are the epitome of perseverance. I was amazed to see street artists painting on broken doors, shutters, and other remnants of homes before the devastation of hurricane Katrina. They turned sorrow into meaningful artwork and sold it in the streets as a way to share their story and the spirit of New Orleans.  God bless them.

There's so much to do in "Nawlins" that everyone can find something to tickle their fancy.  Whether it's art, music, food, architecture, history, nature, or nightlife, you are guaranteed to find it in The Big Easy.

I liked it so much that I decided to leave a piece of me behind in the park with this handsome statue and some live jazz.

I left a second copy in my hotel next to it's brother, the Holy Bible.  
Let's see what kind of character decides to pick up a Traveling Quran in New Orleans!

Salam for now (SFN).