Road Trip 2018 - Day Seven, Wandering New Orleans Neighborhoods

Today we had no tours so we decided to make use of the trolley and ferry system to make our way through a number of different neighborhoods of the city. We were in full photographic hunting mode.

A brief comment on these means of transportation. Let me compare the system here in New Orleans with another city that has a tram and ferry system, Istanbul. If Istanbul represents the major leagues of an efficient, truly rapid transit system, New Orleans represents your local high school team. I'm sorry New Orleans, I love you as a city, I really do, but OMG, I know that the trolleys are meant to have character but 'rapid transit'? I don't think so. Maybe 'slightly faster than walking transit'. Yes you have a very good mobile app. But one could die and be reborn in the time it takes to go the length of one of the trolley lines. And the ferry? If you've experienced the buzzing fury of Istanbul's or Hong Kong's ferry system, the somnolent twice and hour passage across the Mississippi was like laying in a hammock in the summer time.

That being said, one can get very attached to the generally positive attitude of all who work these systems and people you run into in general. But let's get on with our tour.

We started by taking an Uber to the starting point of the famous St. Charles Street Trolley

We purchased an all day pass for three dollars each so we could get on and off as much as we wanted

We first got off at a neighborhood called Black Pearl...though I have no idea why it is called that

One thing I will say for New Orleans...

...the variety of colors, patterns, designs, etc is probably as rich as any place we have been to in the world...really...anywhere.

It was hard to stop taking pictures

I've tried to get much more discriminate (channeling my inner Captain Spouse)

I started with 153 pictures taken and am posting 48

There were all kinds of things going on with trees and stonework and homes

 

 

We had gotten a late start to the day and had moved on to the Garden District but were hungry

After all we had eaten the day before, we just went to this local diner place with no expectations

I wasn't planning on any kind of a foodie post

I had a half of a roast beef Po'boy (based on our waitresses recommendation) and cup of gumbo

I'm eating them and realizing, by the Great Maker's taste buds, this stuff is really good. The Po'boy's roast beef had great flavor. The mayonnaise on it was great. The gumbo was really good. So had to capture it for posterity despite having already eaten half of it LOL

Our waitress, Janet, who turned us on to the good stuff

Sadly I had already switched to the fish eye lens. Not exactly the best for a flattering portrait

Next it was on through the Garden District which is known for its big mansions dating to the 19th century with lots of Greek revival architecture

I was now using the fish eye lens so was all into the special effects

Then we got on the ferry to Algiers Point

The second oldest neighborhood in the city

As we made our way through this neighborhood, we realized that this was a very special place

I decided to switch out to our sort of regular, walk around lens, a 12-150 zoom

Because this neighborhood was a symphony of colors and patterns

And this was not a high end neighborhood

In fact it is obvious that this was done with some kind of communal forethought 

Unfortunately I could not find anyone who could tell me anything about how this all came to pass

Almost every house you went by was bright, freshly painted, filled with architectural detail

One could have taken a thousand pictures 

Here is just a small sample

The force of Captain Spouse filled me and I channeled her love of doors and reflections

But the butterfly was strictly my own

There was a cool old courthouse but my best picture was pretty predestrian

Except for another reflection shot

Then there were these tiles on the streets with people's names on them

Then it was back on the ferry

ARGH! The ancient enemy!

I still love having interactions with people whenever possible

This couple was from Georgia though the girl was originally from New Orleans

They got such a kick out of the fact that Captain Spouse and I have almost 44 years in service as they have been a couple for 4 years now

And I LOVED what she did with her hair

Making use of pipe cleaners!

Ah the joys of travel

We had a long schlepp back to our Airbnb as their was an accident on a street where the trolley crossed

We ended up bailing at taking an Uber but even with that because it was rush hour, it took a while

But all in all, a great day