Reviews & Comments
New Orleans, LA
visitor's impression -
1/7/2010My daughter and I made a trip to New Orleans this Dec. This was our first time.
We just loved your city. First off we liked the way you all take pride in preserving your history,we only had 4 days and wanted to see all of New Orleans so we took a tour bus ,very informative and our lady guide from the 9th ward treated us like we were family from out of town that she was driving around.We respectfully viewed the Katrina damage, I feel this is important because people all over our concerned and want to see for themselves how much help the most devastated lower 9th ward still needs and what our government is doing to help in this country for our US citizens. Like my daughter said back at the hotel "Come on mom ,Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have to build houses for them? Harry Connick Jr.? Yes they certainly did step up to the plate and they are to be commended but we want the government to give more money for rebuilding . We saw whole shopping malls still wiped out. These people don't even have grocery stores they can walk to. All money for war, all the time someplace new! We want New Orleans lower 9TH ward helped and the displaced citizens that want to return should be fully compensated. On the lighter side ,yes this city is a live music lover's dream. There was music all over 24-7! Our cab driver turned us on to a place in the by water area ,I had never even heard of that neighborhood and thought it was a gay neighborhood as bi in bisexual, kinda' like BoysTown in Chicago. He said it was a cool little jazz blues club so we said "yeah let's go!" It turned out to be Vaughn's a little bar owned by jazz musician Kermit Ruffin. it happenned to be Thursday so he was there with his band the BBQ Swingers! Unbelievable ! Being in this tiny club with great musicians, upfront and personal! Two men got up and gave us their seats ,everyone made us feel like we all knew each other.Our cab driver came back for us to see how we were doing and waited for us until we were ready to go. He wanted to make sure his tourist friends got back safely to the hotel
since we didn't even know where we were.Yeah!he dropped us off at our hotel in the Garden district but we were not ready to go in yet, we just had to check out that 24 hour laundrymat bar -they don't have those in Kansas! or even chicago our home base. The bartender laid a couple of tequila shots on us and dished the dirt with us like we were locals. Maybe this is how David Johhanson got the inspiration for his song, you know the one,"I'll wash you down in any old laundymat" or what ever the words are. That song would go through my head every time I walked by that place. With all the booze around we really didn't over do it.we really like just getting a little buzz,good music and conversation.So there were no hang overs here. Besides there is so much to see and do during the day, we loved taking the St.Charles street car to the French Quarter and then walking back to our hotel jacked up on cafe aulait from Cafe Demonde. My daughter fell in love with the place and hopes to move there . Thank-You. For your friendliness and grace still remains. You may be shattered but your heart is beating strong. Come on USA help this beautiful child of yours. Have some pride for this is America's Paris!