F is for

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Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in. There should be a linky for you to post your website address at the bottom of this post.

F is for…

~ French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carre (French for “old square”), is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans. – it’ not just Bourbon Street, it’s history and culture, unique architecture, jazz music and sumptuous food. The French Quarter is a hodge podge of something wild, historical and artsy.

First place I’d suggest going to is the Jackson Square, (named for one of the three bronze statues of Andrew Jackson in the center of the square). At the back of the square is one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in continual use in the United States. You are allowed to take pictures inside, as long as mass isn’t going on. If the presidents give a speech, it’s typically with the St. Luis Cathedral in the background.

When my cousin’s children were little, they called it, “The Palace.” (Special Note: The cathedral doesn’t have any public restrooms. In fact, make your plans and consider the potty breaks around lunch/supper when you go to a restaurant, because this isn’t a typical mall area where they have public restrooms and restaurant restrooms are for customers served.)

But don’t just head straight towards the cathedral, mosey along the square and look at the various artists. Along the outside of the square, you’ll find paintings and the artist along all four sides of the iron gate.

After visiting the cathedral, you could also stop by The Cabildo. It was built between 1795 and 1799 to replace the building that burned in the 1794 fire. It was the seat of government in New Orleans during the Spanish colonial period and where the Louisiana Purchase was signed.


Then, pick a street and walk. The buildings are beautiful with ironwork, then the next street over you might see more simplistic buildings. It’s a mixture of the French and Spanish cultures. The walking tours and the buggy tours are a great way to get a taste of the various historical influences.

~ French Market. It’s an open aired market, which offers restaurants, produce to purchase and tables and tables of all sorts of things to buy, such as t-shirts, hats, jewelry, wallets – you name it, it’s going to be there. Artist are also there to sell their work. It’s a combination of food, groceries, gifts and art. It’s a great place to shop!

And… while you’re there, stop in at my cousin’s restaurant, Cajun Café at the Market. My cousin, Andrew, is an excellent cook. You're sure to get native Cajun food. We went there with one of our blogger friends and she couldn’t get over how good the chicken was in the gumbo. (In the picture below, the guy in red is my cousin.)