Aztec Trek - Part 14 - (Jude) Law and Disorder in New Orleans

As we “touched down” at our next stop – the appropriately named Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, we noticed an air of anticipation.  On every billboard were signs signalling the coming of “the superb owl”.  Was it a famous rapper, like The Notorious B.I.G, or possibly a rare nocturnal avian event?? No, our visit had unintentionally coincided with the city hosting the biggest US sporting event of the year…

As our return flight to the UK was due to depart from the States, we thought we’d take the opportunity to visit my old mate Steve Rapport, who was now settled in this famous cultural hub, with the added bonus of listening to some good music.

I’ve known Steve since our days in the music business, and I was pleased to see that he had revived his career in photography and opened his own studio here, showcasing his considerable talent.  Combined with his love of music, and now especially jazz, he considered living in NOLA as his destiny.

As he was out on a shoot, we made ourselves at home at his place, acquainted ourselves with Buster (his dog) and Mittie (his cat), and re-charged our batteries for an hour or so.  After a quick bite to eat (at a Mexican, would you believe!), we headed off to a club, where a really cool jazz quartet were performing.

The next day we set off to explore the famous French Quarter (along with the millions of people who had flown in to attend the Super Bowl)! As we walked the streets, I admired the architecture and varied style of the houses that line the streets of this historic city, many already decorated for “Mardi Gras Season”.  From the original colourful Creole cottages to the intricately balconied townhouses and the grand mansions of the Garden Districts, these beautiful homes were a delight.  Steve’s studio was originally at “shotgun house” – so named because if you stood at the front of the property, you could shoot a bullet straight through every room! The wittily named “Camelback shotguns” had an extra storey added on to the back.  Steve had even painted his “shotgun” claret and blue in homage to our football team.  No “hump” at the back but an artfully designed single story, open plan extension leading on to the garden.

We made our way through the crowds to the 200-year-old French market and enjoyed checking out the artwork, crafts, food and pop-up stages where live bands were setting up. The famous Bourbon Street was packed with radio and TV teams and was as tacky as I remembered from my previous visit.  So, we ended back at Frenchmen Street, which had earnt a reputation as one of the best locations for live music.  There we discovered Bamboula’s – a fab bar where a succession of talented musicians treated us to some great jazz and blues.

Ian wanted to visit one of New Orleans’ famous above-ground cemeteries (necessary due to the high water table), so we booked a tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 later that afternoon. Despite our guide’s rather rushed commentary (maybe he had somewhere to be??), we discovered that the city is actually sinking by over 6 millimeters per year, and to prevent coffins floating away, they adopted the Spanish system of vaults.  The vaults could contain several generations of families, although they had to wait at least “a year and a day” before remains were pushed to the back of the tomb, and a new body installed!  If a family member sadly passed away before this time, they were placed in a “holding” vault. Some of the elaborate tombs belonged to wealthy families, musicians, pirates and even a voodoo queen!

We were drawn back to Frenchman Street for a musical dinner, and I later met up with Steve at the legendary Preservation Hall, famous for its traditional jazz sessions, before turning in for the night after an interesting but exhausting day.  This was certainly a change of pace from our last few months!

I managed a stroll along the Mississippi riverfront the following morning to blow the cobwebs away, and managed to spot the steamboat Nachez, offering jazz and dinner cruises, setting off from the pier.  Signposts detailing the history of French colonisation, slavery and civil rights, the civil war, the origins of jazz and other landmarks, were dotted around the town and made for interesting reading.

After a much-needed afternoon nap, we set off to meet Steve at the evening he had helped organised to celebrate one of his favourite bands, The Clash.  They’d put together a collection of talented musicians and vocalists who covered many of the hits to an appreciative crowd.  Highlights were Steve’s visceral version of “Bankrobber” and special guest, actor Jude Law, with an impressive (and apt!) rendition of “I fought the Law”.  

A memorable evening, and one of the highlights of our trip…

Next stop: Fun and friends in the final leg…