New Orleans - further past the French Quarter - and back again

This morning I took the short Ferry ride across the river to Algiers . The neighborhood in New Orleans, not the capital of Algeria. It would have been one dollar (senior) for a single crossing. Oddly, for 80 cents, I was able to purchase a senior pass that would be good for the day and get me unlimited RTA buses, streetcars and ferries. Obviously I just gave them the dollar.

Algiers is another hidden gem. The ground the neighborhood is built on is a bit higher than, for example, the French Quarter. Some residents who stopped to talk to me explained that the silt build-up had raised the ground prior to establishment of the neighborhood, although they still have levees. However, because of that, they don’t tend to get flooded quite as badly from the hurricanes. It is filled with cute victorian cottages and completely laid back and chill. There is very little retail, but a reasonable selection of restaurants and coffee shops. It was worth an hour of walking around. The main claim to fame, and the sole reason some people take the ferry ride, is the view of the French Quarter from the viewpoint just across the river.

I stopped at Congregation Coffee for an Iced before I took the short ferry ride back and walked up Canal street to check off a few bucket list items. I got a drink at the Carousel Bar - it really does revolve - during which time the rain came in. I had a nice chat with a woman from Kansas. As usual she gave me some tips. And the woman on my other side was from Georgia. She heard me talking about my day job and wanted advice for her young niece who has dreams of working for the FBI forensic science laboratory.

I dodged the raindrops long enough to walk around the block to the Old Absinthe House , the oldest continuously operating bar (since 1815) in New Orleans. No photos, as the ambiance was ruined by the screens on all four sides of the bar. By the time I walked out, a downpour was in full swing. I ended up purchasing a cheap umbrella at the store next door, which got me through the rest of the afternoon.

I walked over to Bon’s in the heart of the French Quarter for a bit of lunch. I ended up having the frog legs. I had tried frog legs in Little Rock and was not impressed. These were a whole different story. They were so succulent they were falling off the bone and very tasty. Apparently it is all in the prep. I have found the same with catfish I have tried in a couple of locations as well.

I then walked back through the French market. The crafts were kitchy, but I noticed a gentleman sitting at a table of books. Kevin Guillard was selling a book named Hood Struggle , that he had written about growing up in, and eventually escaping from, difficult circumstances in New Orleans. Of course I was immediately intrigued. I asked him how much of the profits his publisher was taking, and he replied that he had self-published the book. At that point I was sold. I purchased a book that he signed for me. I’ll look forward to reading it.

My last stop of the Afternoon was Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar . According to the website, Jean Lafitte - privateer, entrepreneur, sailor, diplomat, spy, hero of the Battle Of New Orleans - turned the tide by rushing powder, flint, and troops to General Jackson at Chalmette. Yet again, I ran into people I had met previously. The couple from San Francisco I had met last night at the Spotted Cat was sitting at a table and invited me to join them for a drink. We spent a pleasant half hour or so getting to know each other a bit better before we all called it an afternoon.

Tomorrow I am meeting a friend who lives here for lunch and hope to visit a few more locations.