The Big Easy: Although Getting There Was Not
Our trip to New Orleans is long overdue. However, with so many travel choices, available bargains, and the ever-evolving and changing preferences, how does one pick the right one, especially to begin a birthday week celebration? My husband and I finally committed to this trip three weeks ago amidst unexpected expenses from home repairs that almost derailed our chances of having a short and sweet getaway to one of the most fascinating cities in the US, if not the world. Thankfully, patience in bargain travel shopping paid off, and we managed to get an exciting package for a 5-day stay at the Ritz Carlton for a discounted rate through Expedia.com.
Our morning started early, and we got to the Parking Place by LAX. Groupon deals made this very enticing. The fees for a 5-day parking rental are cut in half (around $10, including tax). The shuttle to the airport from the lot was also seamless. Now let’s talk about Spirit Airlines. A few days before our departure, I received email reminders to take advantage of advanced check-in baggage options. According to their website, the cost of higher airfares is defrayed by making passengers decide whether to pay for checked-in bags as fuel costs are high, and the heavier the load, the more gas is required. Thus, if one wants additional baggage, it can be done with a price.
We got to the airport, and despite our diligence in measuring our checked-in luggage, we forgot to weigh it, costing us $30 in excess weight fees that could have easily been remedied had we removed other stuff in our luggage. Unfortunately, since we did not have any carry-on, we had no choice but to pay extra for convenience. Besides that, our flight was delayed due to mechanical issues, but an hour of waiting wasn’t so bad.
Then we arrived. The Uber ride from the airport was uneventful, and my husband and I immediately felt this would be fun. Fortunately, we arrived on the Saturday of the Pride 2017 weekend. As we checked in at The Ritz Carlton, the scent of candles and the welcome Gumbo in the second-floor lobby were such pleasant surprises. The hotel is located a few blocks from the world-famous Bourbon Street, and the city surrounding it overflowed with delightful street drinking.
So, we didn’t waste time and hurried to grab a bite at one of the local seafood restaurants that served freshly-shocked Oysters and steak. Even though Bourbon Street was undergoing major street piping renovations at the time, it didn’t stop us from grabbing unique alcoholic beverages that were served in a big way. One of the things that I admired about that evening was the infusion of various sounds and rhythms that, for a moment, stamped what we came to NOLA for. The excitement of hearing jazz music from afar, finding where it was coming from, and sitting for a few minutes while sipping a cold alcoholic beverage was sublime.
The following day, we joined a tour of plantation alley, and we didn’t realize that a stretch limousine would be taking us to these sites all day. We knew this would be a satisfactory experience with just another couple on board. The plantation tour was a poignant reminder of the South’s painful past. Still, it also signifies the rich cultural history that makes New Orleans (or Louisiana) uniquely memorable to its visitors. The torrential monsoon rains marked the end of our journey there. We returned to the city and joined other tourists in a bus tour around town, including seeing the reminders and residual effects of Hurricane Katrina almost a decade later.
Later, we stopped at the famous Café du Monde to indulge in its original Beignet and beware because getting splattered by the powdered sugar that comes with it is inevitable. The following day, we took the trolley to the Lafayette Cemetery in the Garden District. While eerily walking around, I couldn’t help but think about its centuries of history and haunted stories that have mesmerized residents and tourists alike, not to mention the great movies of the recent past filmed there. On our final night, we boarded a dinner and cruise steamboat that offered an excellent experience of the Mississippi River. The sunset was a sight to behold, and we couldn’t have been any more pleased. As we bid New Orleans adieu, we’ll take memories of uniquely Cajun with us!