D went off to the office at eight and then we got up and pottered about before leaving for breakfast at Il Posto. They served us granola with fruit and yoghurt, coffee and fruity muffins. Well fortified we walked down to St Charles and waited for the streetcar. It is very leafy along the road and there were plenty of joggers bashing along the tram tracks. We were glad to see that most of them were running towards the oncoming trams with their headsets on. While waiting at the stop we saw a flicker bobbing up a tree trunk close by.
The tram journey down to Canal Street takes about half an hour and D had given us some tokens to pay for it. There is a standard charge whatever the length of the journey. We got off and wandered back into the French Quarter for a while. Everything was getting going, but the photographers with the 'good' was closed, so we just made our way back to One Shell Square to meet D. He walked us down to the French Market where we wandered passed the stalls selling fruit, veg, clothes and stuff as well as food. And then we crossed the road and went into a little café on the corner where we had salad and D had shrimp etouffee which was quite spicy. To finish off lunch we walked to Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets which are rather like flat olie bollen covered in icing sugar.
Soon it was time for D to go back to work and we to get on the boat for the river cruise. As we walked along the Moonwalk we were entertained by the calliope on the Natchez steamboat. This is a steam organ that plays all sorts of tunes.
We joined the queue to get on the boat and soon we were pushing back from the dock with the red paddle wheel churning up the water. There was a running commentary as we headed downstream, pointing out various landmarks and giving us lots of facts about NO and the river. After about an hour we turned round and crossed to the opposite bank for the return trip. We were able to go below and look at the engine room with its huge pistons driving the paddle wheel. There are two huge boilers called Thelma and Louise providing the steam. We powered passed the other tourist boat with a paddle wheel, but apparently that is not a genuine steam boat. Our boat, Natchez sailed to the very large double iron bridge, then turned again and came to a stop at its berth. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
When we had disembarked, we took a long walk up to Basin St. This isn't anything to see, but we got there and then zigzagged back down towards the French Market area. There was a fabulous sunset to glimpse along between the streets, and we stopped at a Community Cafe, a sort of local Costa/Starbucks for a cup of tea. We were meeting D at six at Snug Harbour for supper before attending their Wednesday Night Jazz session.
Everything went to plan and we were soon seated in the restaurant having delicious fishy meals - Mine was blackened fish, D had salmon with a creamy sauce and A had a plateful of shrimps all served with baked potato. The chaps had pecan pie for dessert, but I had had enough. At 7.45 we went through to the small room where the jazz was to be. a stage at the far end was crammed with chairs and music stands and a grand piano. We were to hear the Uptown Jazz Orchestra - some fifteen or so musicians, sax, trombone and trumpet with bass and piano. The room was also stuffed with tables and we took one in a corner and ordered some tea and beer. Soon the musicians came in and started their session. It was fantastic and the hour and a half flew by. Everyone was very enthusiastic applauding all the solos. Each member of the band got to play some improvisation during the session. But it was time for their break and for us to go; they do two sessions a night at eight and ten.
We walked round the corner to where D had parked and drover home to find several large boxes on the front porch. These are some big prints they have had made to fill some of the large amount of wall space at the house. D was keen to open a couple to check if they were OK and we found a picture of a South American volcano and one of D&S overlooking Macchu Pichu. The rest will wait till S arrives back on Friday evening.
Il Posto
Shrimp etouffee recipe
Café du Monde
The history of Steamboat Natchez
About the calliope
Snug Harbour
No comments:
Post a Comment