Street Cars- Elective

I have been fortunate enough to ride on street cars before and I love them. I was so happy to know that we would be able to ride them on our trip to New Orleans too. For the most part, the street cars were not overly crowded. There were only about 1-2 time in the week we were there that people had to stand. I love how you are able to tell who are locals and who the tourists are by the questioning of the conductors. it still amazes me how people argue with the conductors and tell them where they should be going. I like the freedom of the trolleys too. When the days are nice outside with the sun shining and a nice breeze, the windows are able to be lifted to let even more fresh air in. I especially enjoy how the streetcars free up the amount of cars on the roads. The "jazzy passes" we got were good for 3 days, but just taking a 1 way trip on the street car only costs $1.25. This is a lot cheaper than a cab would be and much easier on the feet (especially if you have blisters). I really enjoyed the street cars and appreciate all the conveniences that they offered making it easy to tour the city and the French Quarter. We also learned on our trip that New Orleans has a street car named "Desire" and it is car #952. We did not get a chance to ride that car, but was impressed that there was a street car named after the 1951 American film drama "Street car named Desire".

Food New Orleans style (elective)

I feel that it is very important to begin explaining to anyone that does not know me how much of a foodie I am. I love food. Those of you that know me can attest to the fact that I do not miss a meal. While planning for this trip, I have to admit I was quite a bit nervous about the food that was offered. I have a very "sensitive" palate and have often described table pepper as being too spicy. While this amuses most people, it really is not a laughing matter. I just do not like the taste of spicy foods.
The first night we arrived in New Orleans, our instructor made reservations at The Original Pierre Maspero's. It was a nice restaurant, but it was not enough space reserved for our party of 22. The food was amazing. I had the shrimp and grits, and loved it.
We took a cuisine tour that took us to some local restaurants in the French Quarter. We started out at Antoine's and sampled gumbo and learned about how the roux is made and the importance of the ingredients. I generally shy away from spicy foods (like gumbo), but this gumbo tasted so good that despite its spiciness, I had to eat it and could not stop. When I finished the sample sized cup my lips were burning and I still wanted more. We then walked across the street to Leahs Pralines where we were treated to a sample of fresh made pralines that melted in my mouth. We also sampled candied pecans that were out of this world.  This store was like a dream straight out of Candy Land. We then travelled to La Davina Café y Gelateria where we sampled muffaletta and gelato. The muffaletta here did not even come close to tasting like the delicious one we had the day before from a vendor inside the French Market. As for the gelato, it was just ok. We also visited Arnaud's and sampled shrimp Arnaud, a shrimp in a Creole Remoulade Sauce. This also smelled a bit too spicy for my liking, but because I love shrimp, I tried it, and again to my surprise loved it. Josette and I also split and order of oysters in the half shell, which we both had had before and loved. The best part of going to Arnaud's was that no one else in our group like the "texture" of shrimp, so Josette and I basically had dinner as we ate everyone else's. After Arnaud's we walked to Tujague's. Here we sampled brisket- beef with Creole horseradish sauce. The brisket had a great flavor. I barely tasted the spices and found it to be a bit dry for my liking. Our last stop was Creole Delicacies where we sampled beans and rice, which was way to spicy for me to continue eating. Here we also smelled samples of vanilla, Creole spices, and Creole mustard. All of these were too spicy for me to indulge in, but they did make great gifts for friends and family at home that like the spicy side of life.
We also visited Crillo between museum tours and I tried turtle soup for the first time. It was interesting to say the least. It was not bad at all and had a good flavor, especially with the Sherry that topped it off.
Another interesting item I wanted to try was alligator. The shop at the French Market did not have gator bites at the time, so I opted for a gator sausage instead. This was also amazing. I loved the flavor, even though it was spicy.
I am so happy that I was able to step out of my comfort zone while in a new location to make the food choices that I did. Already knowing that I loved seafood of all kinds made it a no brainer that this was going to be my choice. I definitely loved the food in New Orleans, and have a great deal of respect for those individuals that are able to dive into the spicy.

There's No Place Like Home (Elective)

New Orleans is a wonderful city. I enjoyed preparing for this trip, doing the research, and learning about the rich wonderful history of the city, but it is just not home.
I have been planning for this trip for quite a long time, and after this semester of school, I think it is fair to say I deserve to get away. I have never taken a class trip before, and have never been to New Orleans. Every part of this trip excited me and I could not wait to get away.
After a long train trip, we were eager to arrive in New Orleans. There was so much to see and do, and a lot of tours to museums to visit. The weather was so much warmer in New Orleans and the people were happier than they ever appeared to be in Peoria (huge disclaimer here: except for all that rain). The only problem I had with New Orleans, it is not home.
Home is in Spring Bay Il. I live alone with my 2 cats (yes, I am the official cat lady). Although I loved my room mates in the hotel and we have been friends for over a year now, it was rough sharing my "personal space" with anyone. And there is something to be said about routine. Working full time 3rd shift (6p-6:30a) and going to school full time during the day, I was at least able to find a schedule and a routine that works for me and around my call schedule of being a volunteer firefighter and EMT when I was home. While we were very busy in New Orleans, I was so happy to finally be boarding the train on our last day and heading home.
I had been on the phone with my dad all morning giving him the update on where we were. We were actually ahead of schedule when I made the planned call from Bloomington on the bus, telling him to be ready. He picked us up at the bus station, and when I laid eyes on him after being gone for over a week, I realized he is my true best friend. I am always happy to have my dad, and value every day that I have with him.
When I finally entered my house, the first thing I did was hit the shower (ah, my shower). I unpacked my bags and did a load of laundry. I learned that my cats are capable of carrying a grudge as they did not want anything to do with me for about an hour, but after that hour, I was not able to give them enough attention. My sister called me to check in and see how the trip went, making me realize even more, that no matter where I go or for how long I am gone, I am blessed to have my family and my home. It is good to be home. There is no place like home.

Free Day (Elective)

I love everything about the words free day. I love not having anything to do and not having a set time to do it in. Although we had planned on getting up earlier in the day to get started, we ended up taking our time getting ready. Being a full time student, working full time (3rd shift), and being a volunteer firefighter and EMT, free time is not something I get to experience often. After a rough week of finals, I was immediately put into packing and travelling mode. This free day was something that I had been waiting on for quite a while.

After leaving the hotel in the early afternoon, we boarded the trolley and headed to the French Quarter. We had heard wonderful things about Coops, so we decided to have lunch there. Josette and I both had the oyster and shrimp PoorBoy. This was delicious. I was not overly impressed with Coops because the wait for a drink and to place our order was quite long, and the only thought that kept entering my mind while we were there was "how did this place pass sanitation inspection". The food and music at Coops was good, so I can only imagine that this is why they are still in business.

After lunch, we stopped at Molly's for a "frozen". it was quite delicious also. I particularly love the freedom of being able to order a drink and then walk out of the bar to drink it while shopping. So we drank as we walked to The French Market.

We had been to the French Market before, but this time we went with a mission --shopping. Because of work and school, I did not have time to do any Christmas shopping before our trip, so I was doing my Christmas shopping today New Orleans style at the French Market. Prior to leaving for our trip, I had asked my parents if there was anything particular they would like for me to get for them. The only request my father had was a New Orleans t-shirt that has a front pocket. I literally asked every vendor at the French Market if they had such an item and was turned down each time. After doing some shopping (some for myself too), we hit the streets and the stores along the French Quarter. I literally went into over 50 shops and asked for a t-shirt with a front pocket, and ended up with the same results. So, the one and only special request I got was an Epic fail.

We then went to Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo. I had wanted to do this and had heard of the stories and of all the voodoo that was in New Orleans. I heard that there were even television shows that featured Marie Laveau and definitely plan on watching them when I get home. I got a couple of gifts there also. I am so excited to give these gifts.

After shopping, we stopped at El Gatro to have a drink and some Mexican food for dinner. It was a great dinner, and especially enjoyed watching them make the guacamole at the tableside. The food and the drinks were good here and were much needed after a long hard (lol) day of shopping.

Farewell to New Orleans

Today on our last day in New Orleans, we met at Café du Monde for café au lait and beignets. This was a great find in New Orleans and definitely worth the trip to itself. After Café du Monde, we went  to the French Market. The French Market was my favorite place in the French Quarter because it represented the city in one location. I was able to do most of, if not all, of my Christmas shopping and souvenir shopping in this one location. This are as best described as a giant flea market outside that had everything from local favorite eats to handmade jewelry and clothing that represents New Orleans. There were stands that sold fresh oysters in the half shell and shrimp and local favorite beverages making this the perfect place to be. I loved this market and declare it a must go to place for anyone visiting New Orleans. I had my very first alligator sausage on a stick here and also shared a muffuletta sandwich with my friends. Almost anything and everything you would want in New Orleans could be found at the French Market. The isles were very crowded and the vendors were very pleasant. I would definitely visit the French Market every day if I lived closer and were able to every day.

My  favorite part of our class trip was the tours that we took. They were all very educational and told their own stories. I especially enjoyed the Hansen's Museum and the Ghost tour that we took. The tour guides were all very friendly and really knew their stuff. I especially enjoyed the fact that if I were to travel to New Orleans on a vacation instead of as a class trip, I probably would not have visited some of the museums and taken the tours that we did. I entered this trip with the expectation of trying many different cuisines and to be as adventurous as possible with my food choices. I am happy to admit that I lived up to this expectation and found that I enjoyed it more than I thought possible.

I also learned a lot about the history and the people of New Orleans. The locals are very proud of their city and are happy to show it off to anyone with an interest. I almost sensed a feeling of celebration and freedom. The history of New Orleans is very rich and the personalities and history are equally rich with their historical roots. The liveliness on the streets is contagious. I learned a lot about New Orleans as well as myself while on this class trip. I learned a lot about the history and its founders. There are many different cultures still alive today in this one location. I believe that is what I enjoyed the most. There was a sense that everyone belonged and that everyone respected each other. I had heard a lot about a high crime rate in New Orleans and was somewhat worried about this at first, but I felt very safe with the high presence of police. We were also smart about where we travelled to and did not travel alone. I learned that New Orleans is a very happy city and despite all the hard times they have had with natural disasters, fires, and haunted spirits, the community pulls together. I appreciate the way the community speaks as one and is a happy city in general .

Presbytere and Cabildo

The Presbytere

The Presbytere was originally supposed to be here the clergy for the cathedral lived. It is currently separated into two different museums. The first floor is the Hurricane Katrina exhibit while the second floor is a Mardi Gras Museum.

Hurricane Katrina

As we entered the museum, the overwhelming sound of flowing water was the first to catch my attention.  The sounds and anxiety that I remembered seeing on television from the Hurricane 5 disaster on August 29, 2005 flooded my emotions and brought back a sense of terror and fright. Although the massive storm hit on Aug 29^th, the majority of its damage occurred days after it hit land.  There were video’s playing of how the community stuck together and differed greatly from what I recalled on television by showing hero’s and how the community stuck together instead of the ‘victims” that were displayed on the news. Many neighbors helped each other and even came to the rescue of their neighbors in their time of need. Just hearing the stories being told by the survivors created a chill up my spine. I was never really able to grasp the many levels of failure that lead up to the devastation until I saw the video that mapped out the different levies and breaches that occurred in various locations all over the city. Seeing where and how the over 50 breaches occurred and how that caused death and destruction brought a sense of realization that was not able to seen through any news or television program. It actually put the damage into perspective from a human stand point. The lack of preparation and a “rescue” plan was an epic failure at best. There was no plan in place for anyone. Listening to people tell their stories of how they were all crammed into the Superdome and were forced to sleep with their families on the cement floors that were also used as restrooms. One video that brought tears to my eyes was the story told by a man at a hospital that actually saw the Presidents helicopter fly over and how he thought that meant being rescued and how it was heartening to see that same helicopter fly away while they were still trapped. The hospitals were all without power and the lifesaving measures that were necessary for daily operations. This was just one of the examples of how the community stuck together to help each other and gave their all to survive.  The Hurricane Katrina Museum was a very interesting and educational experience that I am glad to have had. There is no way I would have ever been able to understand the degree of damage and emotions from one natural disaster without visiting this exhibit. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT, I was especially impressed with how the community pulled together with the help of the first responders. Living along the Illinois River, I have spent many years sandbagging, but never to this degree. This exhibit really hit home with me realizing how natural disasters are never able to be predicted, but how history has taught us how to be prepared for the unexpected.

Mardi Gras Museum

While the first floor showed a level of destruction that was depressing to view, the second floor displayed an almost festive and carnival sensation. The extraordinary costumes that had been worn during several different parades displayed were cheerful and a delight to see. A great amount of time had to have been spent making these costumes with feathers, beads and jewels. The crowns and tiaras were simply amazing and fitting for any king or queen.  It is no wonder that New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras with a display as beautiful as this. It was very interesting to see how the costumes and floats changed throughout the generations, but still represented a festive demeanor. The pictures on the walls showed the images in black and white, but the displays revealed the bright colors that created the vibrant decorations and costumes. I have personally never attended Mardi Gras, but after seeing the displays along with the festive atmosphere of New Orleans itself, I defiantly plan on attending Mardi Gras in the near future.

The Cabildo

The Cabildo is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in New Orleans. There were pictures of some of the most famous person’s and events in Louisiana’s history.  Pictures and displays of items from the Battle of  New Orleans and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, the founder of New Orleans as well as displays and pieces from the Native Americans when they first arrived. This was one of the best tours we took because it had a lot of displays we were able to have hands on with (battle drums) and original displays of Andrew Jackson’s uniform, the signing of the Louisiana Purchase, and the original plans of the building. There was a lot of information given about slavery and the development of the city. Besides the historical information found inside the Cabildo, the building itself was amazing. We were able to stand on the balcony and see the entire town square. This was one of the greatest views that I observed on the entire trip. The view of the town on a weekend morning while the city was alive with action and a festive feeling was in the air. The history and the exhibits at the Cabildo made this a great educational and informative visit.  

Local artists

White traveling and touring the city of New Orleans, I saw some beautiful pieces of artwork. It was very hard to find one particular place that stood out more than any other. Many of my favorites were located around the square another one of my particular favorite pieces were at a shop called PHOTO WORKS located on Jackson Square at St, Ann the artist there was Louis Sahuc. Louis Sahuc is a freelance photographer and French Quarter preservationist. He currently lives and works on Jackson Square. Louis was fortunatly at the shoo when we visited and states that he fell in love with New Orleans as a little boy in the 1940s and 50s.he went to college and worked a retail job in sales before finding photography. It was in the early 1970s for advertising, fashion, architecture, corporate, editorial and private clients, but his favorite has always been of New Orleans. Photo Works was opened in 1995 and he began showing the architecture and uniqueness of life in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Photo Works photographs are signed and numbered limited edition artwork. All photographs are available 13″ x 19 or 17″ x 22″. Most are available 20″ x 24".
 The picture above is titled "Red Sky". This was one of my favorite  pieces as it appears to be very subtle and simple but yet encompasses so much of the past, present, and future of New Orleans  I found this piece to be very focused as most of the photos at Photo Works sre, and is able to tell a large amount of history and information in a very uncomplicated manner.

Another  of my favorites is "Orleans St".  This particular piece stood out to me because it also is uncomplicated, but very direct in where the historical roots of this town originates. It also makes me realize that despite all the misfortune that has striken this city, it will always be able to see the good and prevail  all of the different cultures and lifestyles ultimately are reflected with this one single shot