N'awlins: First impressions

The first new thing I learnt about New Orleans was to pronounce it N'awlins. Apparently saying it correctly will make me sound like a tourist, I think the camera and small fluffy cow are a dead give-a-way but who am I to argue with an American? The next more helpful but less fun thing I learnt was that the grey round station was also the Amtrak station. The significance of this is that the likelihood of there being a food place was much increased, which since I was arriving at 6am was a very good thing indeed.

Breakfast sorted and it was a quick taxi ride to the hostel included some advice on getting about and where to go from my taxi driver. Once at the hostel I was quickly settled in to my new accommodation. Sad to say this hostel is not up to the standards of the last two. The staff so far have not been unfriendly but nor have they exactly gone out of their way. It is the first hostel I have stayed in where I wasn’t shown to my room. Instead I made two trips from reception to my room with my bags and the other for my linen. After my overnight bus ride all I was interested in was getting some more sleep. Once I woke up though I was able to take in my surroundings more and once again I was disappointed. I understand that Katrina caused a lot of problems but I don’t understand how that would stop the hostel workers from running a vacuum over the floor or wiping down the surfaces. The location is good though and my roommate is friendly and agreeable to a little light housework so at least we should have a clean room by our second night.

As has become my habit I  took a wander downtown. The first place I came to was Bourbon Street and it was indeed a street if bars, bars and more bars. Off Bourbon Street there were some quieter bars and more shops which were less obviously touristy. Once I left Bourbon Street I really understood why people love this city. The eclectic mix of shops, bars and restaurants and on street entertainment made the city feel alive and I couldn’t help but stop and watch an on street dance/comedy act even though I knew the hat would be passed round at the end but it was worth it and a fine welcome to the city. Post dance act I finally found an funky little internet cafe, necessary since the hostels internet is apparently somewhat temperamental, which happened to serve excellent hot chocolate and some tasty looking muffins which I do not think I will be able to resist next time. Facebook, e-mail, blog and chocolate need satisfied it was time to head back to the hostel.

It was upon returning to the hostel that I met my new roommates. Once more they all seemed very nice and one of them decided to accompany me back in to town in search of food. Since both of us had been enjoying ourselves in our previously visited location the crowded bars held little appeal and we found a restaurant off of the Bourbon street where I got to try gumbo for the first time. It was salty and spicy and very tasty, thought the half crab in it confounded me somewhat. Even though it is only my first night in New Orleans I can foresee that I will be spending a lot more time off Bourbon Street than on it. Which if nothing else should make my liver happy.