For New Orleans I decided to try out my first hostel experience since 2000. I booked into what I thought was a social funky little hostel slightly out of town called India House. Upon arrival I am shown to the private room out the back of the hostel. It is literally a wooden shack with two rooms. My room had old saloon wooden doors from floor to ceiling and which were held together rather crudely by an old padlock. You couldn't swing a cat in this room. It had a bed, a mirror, small heater and two clothes hooks. Total contrast to my five star luxury in Jamaica. The small window was above the bed and you could feel the cold seeping through. The girl showing me to my room must have noticed the shocked look on my face as she kept repeating, "Are you OK?". "I'm just a bit tired" I reply.
Not to worry at least I will meet lots of cool people to go and watch some bands with. I take a 15min walk down the street to go to the local store and pickup some breakfast and lunch supplies. It is now after dark and it soon becomes evident that the streets aren't exactly safe. The streets are dimly lit and I find myself looking over my shoulder constantly as my mind creates moving shadows.
I make it safely back to the hostel and hang around but not many people seem very forthcoming to conversation. It takes me two nights to realise that perhaps this wasn't such a great idea and I'm beginning to get a head cold from my room. I leave on the third day and check-in to a 4 star hotel next to the French Quarter. This as it turned out was a blessing. The room was nice and on the first night despite feeling a bit under the weather still I head across the road for some food at a Hawaiian Restaurant/Bar. After dinner I sat at the bar, watching a close fought basketball game on one of the many large LCD's (a common sight in most bars in the US). I get chatting to a few local women next to me.
Maybe they are technically cougars (women over 40 looking for younger men) I'm not sure, but they seem nice enough. They are heading to a bar on the fringe of the French Quarter to listen to a band. They offer me a lift and before I have to think what the..?! we arrive and the band is excellent. Walter "Wolfman" Washington is playing guitar and singing with a backup of a drummer and horn section. They play music from Jazz Funk to Swing. All in all an unexpected but totally fulfilling night and just what New Orleans for me is all about. One of the cougars even gets chatting to another American girl from LA who gives me a lift home at 4am. Perfect night.
The following days that ensued would take too long to write here but needless to say I saw some great music, ate some good grub, had a tarot reading, went on a ghost tour, drank the famous hurricane cocktails and met some amazing people from Mexico through to Chicago. I hope to catch some of them again soon. If you like good food and live music then New Orleans is definitely a place to check out. It is quite dangerous to walk outside the main areas but the locals in the bars and restaurants are really friendly and welcoming. The famous Bourbon St gets packed during the weekend and it's a bit of a young party crowd. It has a large array of Strip clubs and bars - many containing scantily dressed waitresses selling test tube shots. Here they place the shots in places like between their breasts so you have to try and get them out with your teeth. Hey when in Rome....!
When you tire of the Bourbon St experience then there are some more cool local places on the outskirts of the French Quarter to hear the more traditional Jazz music and there are many artists playing in venues across the city every day of the week.
Next stop San Diego!
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