New Orleans 2

2 Chicas and Crypt of the Walking Dead

Chica 2 was dying to get to the cemeteries and look at the ornate crypts she has heard so much about. Chica 1 was not so anxious to visit graves, but it was Chica 2’s birthday trip. Now 2 Chicas must warn that the cemeteries can be very dangerous, so never travel alone or during evening hours and always be aware of your surroundings. Thieves and robbers have been known to hide behind the large tombs so be careful. 

2 Chicas arrived at Lafayette Cemetery, found in the heart of the Garden District. The graveyard was founded in 1833 and grew considerably due to the yellow fever epidemic. A number of tours are offered if you choose not to wander through the tombs making up stories like 2 Chicas!

 Not long after our arrival, Chica 2 swore a ghostly gravedigger was following us. Remember Chica 2, no weapon formed against us can prosper! Naturally, Chica 1 didn’t see anything.

Many of the crypts were cracked and damaged from age. Chica 2, with her scary self, said she peeked into one of the damaged vaults and saw red eyes glowing back at her. Chica 1 wondered where Chica 2 ran off to without a word. 

Chica 2’s eyes were as large as an owl! Chica 2 don’t be so chicken! If you did see glowing eyes, it was probably a cat (or the reflection of your own eyes). Tee hee he.

As we were preparing to depart, Chica 2 said she wanted to locate the final resting place of her long lost Great Great Uncle Bebe Jean-Micele Montell “Prince Fatman” LaPew. She said he died while headed to his job in a restaurant on St. Charles Avenue. He was carrying a large bag with a hog’s head and entrails.

The bag began to break and he bent down to stop the hog head from falling in the street. Because he was rather rotund, he lost his balance. Tragically, he was hit and killed by a trolley. She believes the remnants of the hog were buried with him. 

The family story says there are times that he wanders the cemetery looking for the rest of his pig. This tale is so tragic Chica 2 and equally ridiculous. Uh oh, what's that shadowy figure?

2 Chicas really enjoyed watching the throngs of visitors follow tour guides through the cemetery, taking pictures and “oohing” at the stories told by their escort. A few chuckled as Chica 2 passed them telling her fictional account. Others wanted to see the crypt made famous by Anne Rice in “Interview with a Vampire”.

Lafayette Cemetery is a unique New Orleans treat. The great thing is once you finish here, you are in the middle of the Garden District so be sure to check out the spectacular homes and grab a bite to eat. Commander’s Palace Restaurant faces the entrance to the cemetery, so you may be able to do some star gazing as well.

2 Chicas was strictly focused on getting to Willie Mae’s Scotch House for lunch. There was a line out the front door so we were weally weally excited. While waiting our turn in line, we looked around at the lingering damage from Hurricane Katrina. 

In the Seventh Ward, some homes were still being rebuilt, while others were boarded up or had been torn down. A school across the street was still abandoned. The buzzing of a saw can be heard from across the street, but the sad stories of 
families being ripped off by unscrupulous contractors still ring true. Chica 2 wondered where were the children? Neighborhoods like this usually are abuzz with the laughter and playful screams of youngsters. Today, the only sounds were from customers waiting to be seated and small construction tools humming in the distance.

All that reflecting made 2 Chicas even more desperate for food! We finally were seated and the chicken did not disappoint. Tender and seasoned to the bone, the chicken was worth the trip. The sides were just average. After leaving the restaurant, we again needed to walk off a few calories so off we went to City Park. There were plenty of fitness freaks out running, biking, and walking. We enjoyed the shadiness of the park and got in a brisk walk.

2 Chicas - Where Does Your Garden Grow?

After Chica 2 high tailed it back to the Garden District. Riding through the area is quite some wear and tear on the suspension system. The roads are rough but the houses are spectacular! The antebellum mansions once proudly displayed ornate gardens, but over time those plots of land were developed for more homes. Chica 2 shouts that she saw a baby born on those steps once. Reincarnation Chica 2? No,  more like the Curious Life of Benjamin Buttons. See if you too can locate that mansion over in the Garden District.

Chica 1 always gets nostalgic talking about architecture. Chica 2 says Chica 1 is really the strange one of the group. Anyhoo, Chica 1rambled on about the Victorian era double galleried style of house found in the Garden District. Next Georgian, Greek Revival, Georgian Revival, blah blah blah. But Chica 2 did enjoy the details found in the ornate fences around the homes.

Chica 2 longingly wished she could know which house really was owned by Brad Pitt. She thought maybe he would come outside and tell her the thing with Angelina was a huge mistake. It was Chica 2 he wanted all along. Nice fantasy Chica 2. You’d probably have better luck with Master P. 

Chica 2 was hungry after all these antics and had a taste for BBQ. Over on St. Charles Street, we saw Voodoo BBQ and decided to see what they had to offer. 

2 Chicas were pleasantly surprised at the delicious food. Chica 2 said the ribs were so good they made her tummy tickle. Chica 1 thoroughly enjoyed the wings. You have to try one of the voodoo sauces and every side we tried was really quite good.

Back down to Bourbon Street for a night of fun. Chica 2 slow down on those Hurricanes! Just joking, Chica 2 doesn’t drink.  Some guy jumped in front of Chica 2 with just a G-string on wiggling and jiggling. Chica 1 ordered another drink, sat back and enjoyed the show! Here’s one for the birthday girl!

2 Chicas Last Mourning

Chica 1 was ready to grub and Mother’s Restaurant was just around the corner. Mother’s is known for baked ham, gumbo, and other Creole specialties. Breakfast was very filling and we were ready to seize our last day in the Big Easy.

Right outside of the French Quarter Chica 2 wanted to check out some food museum. It was located in a mall, so more time was spent browsing and the museum was soon forgotten. 

Next she wanted to check out the French Market, which was an outdoor bazaar. Chica 2 was sad it was  the last day of her birthday trip, so she wanted to do a million different things. 

After strolling through a mall and then an outdoor marketplace, Chica 2 was feeling lunchy. But we did spend a few moments sitting near the Mississippi River watching a barge go by (Hummed to the tune of Sitting on the Dock of the Bay).

So off we went to Praline Connection for a bit of soul food prior to heading home. Chica 1 finally convinced Chica 2 to try the alligator sausage. Chica 2 snapped it down like a distant cousin crocodile. The dishes were wonderful and we both left feeling stuffed. 2 Chicas definitely recommend the Praline Connection.

As Chica 2 pulled onto the bridge that travels over Lake Pontchartrain, she marveled at the expansive water area. She bragged that she was driving across the longest continuous bridge over water in the world. Very true Chica 2, but have you decided what you were going to do once you reach the other side (Mandeville, LA)? 

Chic 2 said “I can show you better than I can tell you.” She whipped a quick U-turn and returned back across the bridge. She made up in her mind as she was driving that she wanted to find the place where one of the canal breaches.

Driving around the canal area, Chica 2 was getting discouraged because she couldn’t locate any of the breaks. The canals aren’t hard to find, but they wind through so many areas of the city, all the way out to Metarie, LA.  Just as she was about to quit and head toward the airport, Chica 1 said keep going straight. The road was getting extremely uneven. Houses in the area were mildewed around the foundation. Chica 1 saw obvious signs of water damage.

Once 2 Chicas pulled onto the back street, we saw a marker dedicated to the site of the canal break. The homes in the area were gone; washed away by the powerful surge of water. 

What a sad testament to the pure strength of the nature. Chica 2 dejectedly looked down to the ground and mused children probably once played here. It was quite possible that someone’s hopes and dreams washed away from this very location.

But wherever there is life, there is the possibility of rebuilding. The future holds so much promise, and that potential upside must never be forgotten. The strength that faith produces has rebuilt kingdoms. But for now we mourn the past and hold on to a morsel of hope for a better tomorrow. 2 Chicas will be back to see the ongoing transformation. So long NAWLINS!

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