The most common shared traits of deep in the French Quarters is the food and music. The food is such an abundance that a whole other blog post could be dedicated to its importance in the streets of New Orleans. So let me begin in regards to the music component of the culture.
Strident Forays of Jazz // Music
The music from the heart of New Orleans sings various styles of music which have grown from earlier traditions. The city of especially known for its strong involvement with jazz music and is globally known to be considered the birthplace of the genre. New Orleans has also been a well known center of the funk genre of music and home to some of the earliest funk bands. The African influence on New Orleans music can backtrack to its roots to Congo Square in New Orleans in 1835, when slaves would gather there to play music and dance on Sundays. Unless you are trapped inside your hotel room or in the residential parts of the city, there is not one step you can take without hearing the loud series of earthy grooves played in swing.
Haunted History // They Live On
An essential part of New Orleans, particularly the French Quarters, is the deep, eminent haunted stories it holds. Christine and I engaged in a 2 hour long ghost tour walk stopping at big-name haunted destinations. Our tour guide for the night was entertaining, phenomenal and put so much depth into the stories she shared with our group. New Orleans holds such suffering and this was shown through the gratifying stories that floated through the ears of our tour group. I was lucky enough to have encountered the rich stories that I was knowledgeable of before I arrived in America. We were lucky to have learnt numerous of stories, but I want to share just two of my favourites that have made a great impact on me. I happened to come across two girls behind me during the tour, one from Newcastle, Australia and the other from New Zealand… What a small world!
One of my favourite songs, The House of the Rising Sun, was adapted from one of the haunted buildings, Villa Convento, that we ran into during the tour. This building was in fact a brothel. Today it is an intimate hotel in the middle of the French Quarters. We were educated that there is haunting of the door knobs rattling during the night. This is the haunting of the workers in the brothel tugging and rattling the door knobs indicating to the occupants inside that ‘time is up’. I wonder how the couple behind those doors would feel if they knew the meaning behind those rattling noises they heard… Haha! This story from the tour interested me greatly due to me being a big fan of the song. Being able to be in the same atmosphere as the birth place of this song was something that never crossed my mind that I would experience!
Haunted destination number two was even more of a shock to me than the brothel house. This story was full of gore, horror and not for the weak stomach. To my friends or those who are reading this who are familiar of American Horror Story Coven will understand this story in greater depth. This haunted record involves a lot of explaining and has such intensity that it would be almost impossible for me to share through just one blog post, so to be concise here is the story of the LaLaurie House. This story leaves you engrossed and it causes you to contemplate such reasoning to these ladies actions… What this website I’ve shared with you has not said is that those who enter or even touch this building will encounter a haunting that will change their life forever… Another note that this website has left out is that Nicholas Cage once owned and lived in this house. He was uneducated on this legendary house he resided in and when a haunted tour sat outside his newly purchased property he came down to question them. Once he was told, he instantly grabbed his family and belongings and moved. Remember when Nicholas lost his money and went through a period of suffering a few years back? That was the power of LaLaurie.
Attractions // Bourbon Street
You’ve all heard of Bourbon Street, right? It would come a shock to me if you hadn’t heard the name at some point. It is the world famous party, vibrant and loud street in the deepest parts of New Orleans. We strolled a bit of the way down to feel the vibe of the night and we ate in at the Hard Rock Restaurant. This street is full of drinking, drinking and more drinking and the constant jazz, party and swing music that rings through your ears, how could you not carry yourself through the crowd with a dance? This street has the atmosphere for the young adult crowd and I have definitely added this back on my bucket list to experience the true vibes when I’m of legal age.
There is a lot to do and see in the city of New Orleans. This one-of-a-kind city can impact each of its visitors in different ways. Every corner, every detail of architecture, every taste and every witty encounter I experienced has influenced me in such a way that it would be impossible to share with you all…
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