We have been in so many places on earth; however, there’s no place like New Orleans. Truly, it is a place like no other . It’s got distinct music, best cuisine that reflects its history as a melting pot of French, African, Spanish, and American cultures, round-the-clock-nightlife, nice people with unique dialect, interesting Creole and French architecture, and annual celebrations and festivals, most notably the world-renowned Mardi Gras.
Because of the outwardly, easy going, carefree nature of its residents the city, also nicknamed as “Big Easy”, is known as “The City That Care Forgot”. It’s also described as the “most unique” in the United States owing in large part to its cross-cultural and multi-lingual heritage.
According to famous American playwright Tennessee Williams, “America has only three cities – New York, San Francisco and New Orleans”.
“In New Orleans, we celebrate everything. It’s probably the only place you’ll see people dancing in a funeral home”, says Trombone Shorty, American musician, producer, actor, and philanthropist from New Orleans.
Harry Connick, Jr. , contemporary American singer and composer, says.
“I’ve been all over the world. I love New York, I love Paris, San Francisco, so many places. But there’s no place like New Orleans. It’s got the best food. It’s got the best music. It’s got the best people. It’s got the most fun stuff to do.”
The city of New Orleans (Orleans means “golden”), located along the Mississippi River in the southeastern region of the United States’ State of Louisiana with an estimated population of 391,000 , was founded in 1718 by the French colonists. It was once the capital of French Louisiana before being traded to the United States in the famous Louisiana Purchase of 1803 in return for 15 million US dollars. ( The State of Louisiana, named in honour of King Louis IX of France, was first owned by France, and later ceded to Spain in 1762, and returned to France in 1801.)
No one would ever visit New Orleans without making a pilgrimage to the French Quarter, the heart of the city set along a bend on the Mississippi River. This is what most tourists like us come to see. The main attraction here is the French and Spanish Creole architecture of the old buildings, some of which date back 300 years ago, showing French influences with arcades, wrought-iron balconies, red-tiled roofs and picturesque courtyards.
Next time we’ll take you to Jackson Square and Bourbon Street, the most famous street in New Orleans.
