New Orleans is a place for all of the senses.  Of course, my taste buds were pleased but it was the rest of my senses that were most aroused.  The sight:  Seeing Bourbon Street change from day to night is like watching a restaurant transform from a prim and proper dining area to a nightclub.  The smell:  Can’t say I felt away from home on this part of the journey.  Some parts of the city had the “distinct” smell that you would get from the subway terminals in New York City.  Touch:  It is a city for romance.  To casually take a walk around the French Quarter holding hands after a filling meal is just the way to end a perfect night.

The best play on my senses, however, was the sound.  Maybe because I have not been to Memphis and I’m over the sounds of NYC, I think New Orleans has some of the best street music.  Hearing the people chatter over Hurricane’s and Hand Grenades, listening to the random musicians with trombones and the music blaring out of the various bars all made me leave the iPod in the hotel the entire trip.  I did not want to miss a beat, literally.  This is what I wish the District had more of…a strip of simple, cozy live jazz and blues joints.  It makes a glass of wine and a side of fried oysters taste that much better alongside good company.

Now that I’m back, I’m actively searching for cheap flight to get back to those natural street sounds.  Until United Airlines is generous with their sales, however, I will have to simply take in the sounds that take over the District streets…

I want to move here. This is my second time in New Orleans and my second time saying this same exact statement. Granted I would put on about 100 lbs., pick up a serious drinking habit and probably gain a dangerously high cholesterol level…but I would be in bliss the entire time. Talk about generosity and kindness, well New Orleans has always done it for me as the top Southern hospitality city. Take for example our hot and sweaty trek today to Café du Monde.

We get there, plop down and actually put our feet up on one of the chairs only to have the freshest, sweetest delicicies brought out on a plate and we had to tell them to send it back because we did not have cash. *Fuming* That is torture for the stomach, eyes, mouth…everything that knows that there is $4.36 standing between me and an afternoon snack that is only at its best in this very restaurant. Le sigh. Now this is where my favorite part of New Orleans comes in…the man sitting at the table next to us saw that we were folks who had the simple misfortune of leaving the house without enough cash (*we are total card people…) and he footed the bill. We thanked him and they gladly brought our treats back to the table. *smiles*

I think I’ve elaborated on this before in one of my Etiquette Tuesday posts, service/kindness plays a 50% part in the whole dining experience…bad service with good food is just as bad as bad food with bad service. Lucky for me, I chose the right city with the right food and pristine service…cannot wait until my next cheap flight opportunity rolls around courtesy United Airlines (*I got this ticket via giving up my seat for a freebie ticket), I will surely be back in the French Quarter with plenty of cash to spare.

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In less than seven days, I will revisit the bayou.  New Orleans, Louisiana bound baby!  Excited is an understatement and after almost 10 years, this trip is long overdue.  The last time I entered the French Quarters was when I was 19 with a cheap flight for Spring Break and the city was pre-hurricane Katrina condition.  I remember the way I felt when I first visited:  I want to move here.  Those were my exact thoughts as we roamed around Bourbon Street peering into the bars (*clearly, I could not take advantage of the drinking deals that New Orleans is well known for, so I had to live vicariously through those old enough in the bars…), eating shrimp Po’ Boys and taking random detour trips to Magnolia (*I had a serious thing for ”No Limit” and “the Cash Money Millionaires”…).

Now some odd number years later, I’m older (*Hurricane Cocktails, here I come!), wiser (*no more trips to Magnolia if I want my life…) and my palate is more astute (*beignets hold a whole new meaning in my dictionary now).  I’m ready to eat and drink all the $5 cocktails my poor body can take.  Perhaps the most fascinating part of my trip  will not be the food…I think it will be seeing, feeling and understanding the strength of New Orleans.  This city has taken a lot of turmoil in the past 10 years and from the things I have heard, they have not let this stop them from being the leaders of superb food, intoxicating drinks and the “Big Easy” vibe.  Needless to say, when they call the New Orleans bound United Airlines flight, I will have to restrain myself from running to the plane…let the debauchery begin!

Tired.  The past couple of weeks have been the most chaotic of my life!  Slowing down seems like so much fun right now.  For some reason, the wheels will not seem to slow down, however, and I’m about to hit the road again…*rolls eye*.  Traveling has been the focal point…first to a quick beach getaway and then to a class reunion (*amazing time…aww, the memories…).  Now that I’m back in the DMV, rest still does not seem like an option.  Writing this weeks World Tour might be the hardest one I have ever tried to write.  My creative juices are drained, my mood is lethargic and my mouth really just wants a plate of TGIF potato skins…smh (*Translation:  Shaking My Head).  I sound like I would not even know where to find “good food” at this moment.

Nonetheless, there is always a way to spark my travel interest.  This week it came in the form of Spain taking the title in the 2010 World Cup games.  What better time to visit a place than when its favorite team wins a sports championship?!?  The energy is amazing and coming from all directions.  The natives are esctatic for their bragging rights, local restaurants see the dollar signs and tourists are just glad to take part in the dancing in the streets.  Years ago I traveled to Spain (*which was the experience of a lifetime…) and I feel like now is time for a cheap flight over to refresh those memories.  Seeing the running of the bulls, children lining up before sunrise to celebrate the event and the look on the Spain teams faces when they won is enough for me to start searching the United Airlines site this very second.

But I won’t.  This second will be devoted to dreaming about it.  I cannot, will not, would not dare pack another bag!..well, until I have to head to my family reunion next weekend.  Smh.

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