New Orleans Again

The main aim of this part of our adventure was to explore West of the Mississippi River, so once the urgent repair had been completed we headed West. We didn't have to go through New Orleans, but it would have been a long detour or driving through Baton Rouge to avoid it. And anyway, we like New Orleans.

It took us two days to drive from Wildwood in Florida to the nice campground at Bayou Segnette State Park. On the second day we achieved a modest record: we overtook two vehicles in one day. Usually we drive to maximise fuel efficiency and are the slowest vehicle on the road. We probably encounter a slower one about once a month on average, but on 28 March we passed two!

Any pleasure from this achievement was erased as we mingled with the New Orleans rush hour traffic to cross the city and reach the campground. Luckily we did not have to change lanes very often and Louisiana drivers are much more courteous than their Florida counterparts so it wasn't too much of a nightmare.

On our previous visit we had reached the French Quarter by driving to the Algiers Ferry. The ferry was cheap, but we had to pay for parking and the drive wasn't easy. So this time we decided to do the journey the public transport way. Buses between the park and the city are infrequent and impractical, so we chose to summon an Uber. The young ladies in the campground office were positive that the drivers would pick us up and deliver us to our particular campsite. There was no need to walk to the main road.

The first Uber driver to pick up our request didn't know this, and apparently got lost before abandoning the ride. However the second one read our pick-up messages and all went smoothly.

As before, we spent our day in the French Quarter, but on this visit we found much more jazz being played in the streets.

Busking in Royal Street. The guy standing at the back in a red check shirt is playing the washboard, which I had not previously realised was a legitimate jazz instrument.

This tuba player also took vocals.

A saxophone is a much more conventional jazz instrument.

So is the guitar.

This bass player was great to watch. He was always involved and clearly enjoying the music.

On one corner a trio of poets were offering their services. A large dog was lying by one of the tables. “He must write doggerel,” suggested Eve.

Some of the houses and their decorations in the French Quarter were eye-catching:

We had been recommended to the Gumbo Shop for lunch. It was crowded, but we can confirm that they do make a tasty gumbo.

For our evening meal we revisited Cafe Beignet for more Cajun cuisine. Beignets are pastries traditionally made from deep-fried choux pastry. Beignets may also be made from other types of dough, including yeast dough. The New Orleans versions are similar to doughnuts liberally dusted with icing sugar. We were too full for a dessert, so we took a few away for future reference.

The guitar soloist at Cafe Beignet.

Uber was willing to transport us back to the campground, but only if we walked to a fairly distant pick-up point. Lyft was far more accommodating – and cheaper.