Motorcycling around USA: N'Awlins

This morning our destination was New Orleans - about 85 miles away. We took I-10 to minimize the travel and maximise sightseeing time.

Shortly after crossing the Lousiana state line we stopped at the Visitor Welcome Centre.

We asked one of the advisors for assistance with finding a place to stay where we could park our motoerbike. The first place she showed us was the Place d'Armes, in the heart of the French Quarter, with free parking and only $49 per night. It sounded good. The lady helping us telephoned the motel for us. When we spoke to them they offered a room upgrade for $10 - to get a window. We booked the room immediately and continued down the interstate which took us across Lake Pontchartrain and into New Orleans. This shows three road bridges going across the lake.

On the way to our hotel we had to take a detour around some road closures, and saw first hand some of the lingering scars of hurricane Katrina - derelict houses, boarded up and overgrown.

We had expected our hotel room to be tiny, with tired decor and minimal appointments. It was in fact the exact opposite in every way, and the best hotel/motel room we have stayed in so far on our journey.

Our room was at the back of the hotel and overlooked the courtyard and swimming pool.

It's location half a block from Jackson Square and half a block from Royal Street was absolutely perfect.

Our first priority was to take the Lonely Planet walking tour, which started half a block from our hotel door.
Violet's, Voluptuous Vixens and a few other stores are irresistable shopping.

We waliked up Chartres Street to Ursaline Street, named after the convent there. Three blocks up Ursaline we found the Matassa food store where we sought lunch.

Here we met a local who explained the tradition of Po-boy lunches, and ordered red beans and rice for himself. Wanda decided to have the same: Chris stuck with a safe and boring BLT sandwich. We took these with us back to Laffitte's Blacksmith shop, one of the oldest bui;ldings in New Orleans, and now a tavern.

We each had a beer with our lunches before moving on down Royal Street, famous for cast iron decorated galleries and potted plants spilling colour from the balconies.

The Cornstalk Hotel has what Lonely Planet describes as "one of the most frequently photographed fences anywhere".

Horse carts and bicycles are common on these narrow streets.

Another feature of Royal Street are the art galleries. We stotpped in several and chatted to the staff/artists. Highlights were the body art of Craig Tracy, some of which has been widely circulated on the internet, the steel sculptures of Cetin Ates, and the relief sculpture of Bill Mack.

We made the acquaintance of several performance artists and friendly people along the way.

This gentleman makes fascinating masks from leather.

Sting ray leather is very unusual.

This bar tender told us all about Katrina.

"Come into my restaurant."

Fabulous art galleries along the way. Mario Padilla with one of his works.

Steve's gallery has some unusual pieces with optical illusions.

Just watching three locals was almost as entertaining. Footpaths are narrow making it impossible not to greet someone.

At the end of the Lonely Planet walk, we found our way to Decatur Street and the Mississippi Levee.

We continued over to Canal Street at the western end of the French Quarter where we caught the St Charles Avenue streetcar. For $1.25 per person each way, it was a relaxing way to see part of the Garden District with its many grand old homes.

We returned to our hotel via Bourbon Street, with its dozens of bars (most with live music), t-shirt and clothing shops, "Voodoo" stores selling junky souvenirs and the occasional "Gentlemens' Club".

After resting up and recharging our batteries, we headed off to the Gumbo Shop for dinner. Chris thought it was two blocks east of our hotel, but it was two blocks west. We built up an appetite finding the place, and just as well: the huge serves of food were absolutely delicious.