Nawlins a.k.a New Orleans (19-26/2/2014)

和家人朋友结伴出外旅游次数不胜枚举，在美国solo旅行还算头一次。2014年的巴西嘉年华肯定是没法子去了，Mardi Gras这瞩目的嘉年华节日总去得成了吧。去年十月游览Mardi Gras的官方网站时有提醒游客最好在二月至四月这段繁忙的旅行季节里（各Mardi Gras和Jazz Festival）提早预订住宿和交通。

• 住宿：AAE Bourbon House hostel 【7天mix dorm，每晚$22；服务人员很友善；基本设施ok；若宿舍里外能花心思整顿粉刷，相信可以成为具有独特特色的宿舍】

Mix dorm有3张双层床，我睡在上铺。早上刚睡醒/凌晨要下床时是最讨厌的时刻，脑袋模糊一片，身体反应较迟钝，脚总是勾不到木板。

• 交通：Delta航空【$240】
• 泊车场：Winner Airport Parking, Philadelphia 【8天$60】

xxx

19/2/14

凌晨3点睡眼惺忪，起床准备好要开两个小时的车程去Philadelphia airport。平时塞车要命的I-76在这时刻非常通顺。本来是早上7:45起飞的航班因为空气太冷的关系而需要花时间清理，就这样延迟了将近50分钟才起飞。后来影响Atlanta, GA中午11点的接驳机。眼看只剩不到20分钟的时间，双脚一踏出飞机，我和其他赶下一趟飞机的游客像被僵尸追赶般手拿着重量相当的行李不顾形象地奔跑起来。跑，不是问题，问题是老娘我因背部受伤已有一个月完全没运动了，加上沉重的行李当负担。镜上添花的是，登机入口被安排在机场的另一头，及时赶到飞机时已气喘呼呼。啊，好个通活经络…… (-____-|||)=33

中午12点踏出Louis Armstrong机场，气候变得暖和许多，身穿一件T恤都不是问题（PA温度是零度左右 ）。这次我打算利用公共交通，以省$20的airport shuttle费用。首先乘搭通往市中心的E2 airport route巴士（$1.50）。在Tulane Ave & Loyola Ave路口下车，走1英里到Union Passenger Terminal然后打电话给AAE，他们家的免费shuttle bus就会来接你。嗯，这计划太棒了，又省一笔钱了。什么？我有听错吗？你说你家的shuttle bus坏了？！！要自己想办法，选择搭巴士或打的士到宿舍？？*内心翻桌啦我~~！！！* 冷静下来后研究地图，走路是不可能的（太远了！），不妨试下乘搭St. Charles streetcar到Felicity St，然后走7个block。上了streetcar却看不明白上头显示的地图，怎么没有我要的站？随口问了坐在车后的两位帅哥，他们也不是很明白（哎，当你搞不清事情，很难向别人表达你到底要什么东西）。后来他们提议在Jackson Ave下车。顶着大太阳走了半个小时终于来到了目的地，我已经汗流浃背。

柜台负责人稍微介绍旅店的设备后我就开门进房稍作休息。哇，迎面扑及而来的那股香港脚的味道不是开玩笑的。我可是还要在这房间呆7天的呢，苦恼地想。安顿行李，铺好床单，刚要躺下不久一位男生开门进来，来到他床边解裤头。我心想他没注意到房内有其他人存在吗？于是我故意从床上坐起来，结果他被我吓了一跳，完全没预料房里会有人。我赶忙移开视线待他换好裤子后正式和他打招呼。这位来自土耳其的Fatih同学目前在Norway工作，因公司的会议来到Houston, TX。开完会议后利用剩下的5天假期选择来这里游玩。本来蛮担心这一趟旅行无法交新朋友，没想到第一天就认识了Fatih（刚巧他也是Couch Surfer），算是好的开始。

Vieux Carré, as the French Quarter is commonly called.

Zombie spirit in Historic Voodoo Museum.

Voodoo dolls are used to affect other people and/ or situation. The doll become that person when you add personal items such as nail clipping, hair, etc. Most dolls are not used for evil purposes, but for love, healing, success and money.

Rougarou and Baron Samedi - a swamp creature, half beast, half man.

Voodoo came to New Orleans via Haiti, aboard slave ships from West Africa. A hybrid American form of voodoo developed as people from many different tribal communities contributed various spiritual practices - including animism, snake worship, ancestor worship and making sacrifices to deities, called loas. In New Orleans, voodoo fused with Catholic beliefs. 

While me and Fatih were walking along Moonwalk, we saw mysterious localized river fog.
Mississippi River and Pontchartrain Expressway in the background.

A Jesus shadow imposed from the statue onto the St Louis Cathedral.

George Rodrigue Studio with his iconic 'Blue Dog'.

The boisterous crowds and noisy bars along Bourbon St. 

Jester doll purchased with Aunt Sally's Praline (Butter + Pecan + Louisiana sugar crop, a local favourite for a sugar fix).

xxx

20/2/14
今天的行程是逛Lower Garden District和Garden District。这两区域的建筑都很别致，很多屋子都建于19世纪。庆幸有旅行指南在手，才可以看到某些名人（不是指明星，而是那时富有商人）的住宅和如何欣赏他们具有特色的外观设计。

逛完这里后，到Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans看30 Americans画展（$8）。我很喜欢逛美术馆，但基于时间上的问题和意兴阑珊的同行朋友们，像似有意无意地催促你快点看然后离开，所以每次都是走马看花般看完。这次我决定花时间慢慢欣赏每一幅作品和影片，随意地坐在地上看画家们的访问片段，毫无拘束。心灵上得到满足了。

Shops at Magazine St. 

右侧的白色屋子属于Double-gallery House。

Lafayette Cemetery No 1 established in 1833. Some of the wealthier family tombs were built of marble, with elaborate detail rivaling the finest architecture. But most tombs were constructed simply of inexpensive plastered brick. 

Colonel Short's Villa. It is distinguished by a cornstalk cast-iron fence that outclasses the more famous cornstalk fence in the French Quarter because of its fewer layers of paint.

I-10, the city's main freeway.

The soul food - Southern fried chickens (dark meat) with baked potato. Take a dive, without table service, probably somewhere far from French Quarter. Talking about cheap, not talking health food.

The state bird, the brown pelicans.

Jackson Brewery (middle) and St Louis Cathedral (right).

A short ferry ride from the foot of Canal St to Algiers is the best way to get out on the Mississippi River and admire New Orleans from the traditional river approach. 

xxx

21/2/14

篱笆上挂满了该居民所得到的珠链。

@ Audubon Zoo

这只猴子安静地坐在地上吹冷风。

The live oak tree.

想和West African Crowned Crane分一杯羹的长颈鹿。

啊，还真高!

Louisiana Swamp displays flora and fauna amid a Cajun cultural setting, which shows how the Cajuns harvested Spanish moss for use as furniture stuffing, among other details. 

Louisiana Swamp House.

这些歪倒的竹子是2005年Hurricane Katrina所造成的。

亲爱的Capybara。

躺在泥浆里晒日光浴。

冬天的动物园很冷清，游客较少，大多数的动物都躲在室内不怎么活跃。Asian Domain区域正在进行提升工程，所以该区的动物如大象、豹、犀鸟、熊、老虎都不见踪影，有点可惜。我购买Audubon Experience Package（$39.50），此票包括Audubon Zoo、Audubon Aquarium、Entergy IMAX Theater和Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium的入场费。下午两点逛完了动物园，为了省钱从动物园沿着Magazine St.走回Felicity St，这长达3.5英里的路程花了我一个小时半的脚力。Magazine St.有好多特色小店和餐馆，好想进每一间店购物啊……

夸张吧？当地居民结合了阶梯和椅子，以便可以接到更多从Carnival彩车丢给人们的throws。在主要的街道上你可以看到许多酒店或商店他们搭起Grandstand，售卖给不想和其他游客挤在街道的人。除此之外，French Quarter的露台也是许多游客们愿意出高价租半个小时或更多，好观赏整个Carnival的游行。

Krewe of Oshun

Theme: Night Out in the Big Easy

The Saint Super Fan Float!

彩车上挂满了宝贵的珠链，彩车上的krewes会看人们的热忱度而考虑丢多少珠链和玩具。一开始的时候看到身边的人都抢到珠链，心里开始不平衡：“怎么自己连一条都没拿到”，很是心急。后来拿到第一条珠链觉得好兴奋，肾上腺素上升，亲手抢到珠链是多么荣耀的事情。我明白为什么那么多人表现那么疯狂了。随着黑夜的降临，越来越多的彩车经过，颈上的珠链越挂越多，沉重地我快站不直来了。啊，有时候拿太多也不是好事。

The riders.

Krewe of Cleopatra

Theme: Strolling Down the Avenue!

One of the four Jewels of the Nile from Krewe of Cleopatra.

Got my hand on the krewe's plastic cup!

有好几次前头的彩车发生故障，后面的彩车被迫停下来，这时候大人和小孩纷纷涌上前去伸手要纪念品，现场真的很疯狂，很热闹！

"Throw me something, mister!"

xxx

22/2/14

Krewe of Pontchartrain

Theme: What's Eating New Orleans?

The Krewe is named after Lake Pontchartrain, the northern border of New Orleans.

Drexel Prep School marching band.

Lucky Dogs float.

是猪面人吗？

Hmm, I guess this is New Orleans famous banana foster.

Mardi Gras tradition - King Cake's baby!
Every year on Twelfth Night (Jan 6), the first king cake emerge from bakeries all over New Orleans. King cake is an oval, spongy Danish pastry with gooey icing and purple, green and gold sugar on top. More importantly, it always contains an peanut-size plastic baby somewhere inside. Whoever is served the piece of cake with the baby inside has to buy the next cake. So Camila, your turn for next year!

Krewe of Choctaw

Theme: Choctaw's Vacation Destinations

The captain.

Chief of Choctaw 2014.

Photographing the 8 wonders of the world -- I guess it means the crowd?

拿到了Krewe of Pontchartrain和Choctaw的特别珠链！

Knights of Sparta

Theme: Isn't It Romantic?

Krewe of Pygmalion

Theme: A Few of Our Favorite Song

游行结束后，和在宿舍认识的新朋友：Heidi、Joe和Francesca走了好几个block专拾被抛弃在街道上的珠链。Francesca拿到很多珠链派给她的同事，事后她在面书上分享因此获得“Award of Best Employee of the Month”，哈哈。

xxx

23/2/14

星期日，下雨。不打算做特别的事情，所以躺在床上休息到中午。到District Donuts and Sliders享用他们家特制的NOLA cream donut和一杯cartado【大力推荐这一家！】，然后冒着大雨到St. Charles Ave看游行，结果又拿到更多的东西（如下）。Heidi问“你有这么喜欢看游行吗？”。我人就是为了看游行，看Carnival而来这里的，下雨天也绝对阻止不了我像疯婆子般对着彩车呐喊的，反正已是最后一天了，当然非看不可。

说真的，我有考虑把全部带回来，但……实在是太重了！！严厉筛选特别的krewe beads、doubloons (minted aluminum coins bearing krewe insignia and thems)、Beanie Babies、plastic cups。
提醒：我并没有做所谓的“flash your tits”！我也没用看到有人这么做。

xxx

24/2/14

双脚获得一天的休息后，买了一张1-Day Jazzy Pass（$3）无限量乘搭巴士和streetcar到French Quarter拍照。

Napoleon House is a treasured ancient bar with stucco walls. 

Ped mall beside Jackson Square.

St Louis Cathedral is the focal point for New Orleans' sizable Catholic community.

A striking symmetry is created by the two Pontalba Buildings flanking the square and the nearly identical Cabildo (left) and Presbytere (right) structures on either side of St Louis Cathedral, which is the square's structural centerpiece.
In the middle of the park stands Jackson monument - Clark Mills' bronze equestrian statue of Jackson, which was unveiled in 1856.

Many visitors and locals have weathered sudden showers under du Monde's patio awning while a server delivers cafe au lait and an order of beignets (light, square-shaped doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar). 

Cafe Du Monde, the market's oldest tenant, sells loads of its packaged chicory-blend coffee and boxed beignet mix to visitors.

A statue in New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park.

The shotgun house was a low-rent, mass-produced type of residence popular in the late 19th century. A shotgun, thus-named supposedly because a single bullet could be fired from front to back through doorways of all the room, is one room wide, with each room leading to the next in succession. Shotguns have come to be prized for their high-ceilinged, spacious rooms and Victorian styling.  

Royal Pharmacy. There's a perfectly preserved relic soda fountain from the USA's malt-shop days, is no longer in use, but the owners of the pharmacy feel it's too classic to pull out.

Cornstalk Hotel, the cast-iron fence with it's cornstalk motif was manufactured in 1859 and has seen many coats of paint over the years. 

This is an example of town house. They are usually two or three stories tall. Balconies and gallaries extend from the facade, while interior courtyards reached by carriageways afford open-air privacy. The ground level is often occupied by business. 

Cabildo Alley.

In Riverfront streetcar.
Hopping aboard the St Charles Ave streetcar tour is another essential activity while in New Orleans. More than 5 mile linking the Central Business District (CBD) with the Lower Garden District, the Garden District, Uptown and Riverbend, you will see many of the city's greatest houses with Georgian architecture and ornate churches while chugging the entire length of the street at a leisurely 10 mph. The streetcar cost just $1.25 each way. 

在Esplanade站下车后走到因jazz band而著名，是许多人夜晚出来蒲的Frenchman St.。可惜很多酒吧餐馆都是傍晚才开门做生意的，加上附近是住宅区，没什么景点，一个人走在这里还蛮可怕的。

A dressed (served with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise) Fish Po'boy between the soft, spongy brand of French bread.
A proper pronunciation would be 'poor boy'. In the other part of the country, similar sandwiches are called submarines, heroes, or grinders. 

xxx

25/2/14
搭#91 Jackson-Esplanade巴士到全美十大最大的公园-City Park。在那里有一个免费开发给公众的雕塑公园-The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden。占地5英亩，这公园有64座由知名艺术家雕塑的作品如Henry Moore、Barbara Hepworth、George Segal、Louise Bourgeois等人。

Do-Ho Suh, Karma, 2010.

Arman, Pablo Casal's Obelisk, 1983.

Rona Pondick, Monkeys, 1998-2001.

Robert Indiana, LOVE, Red Blue, 1966-97.

George Rodrigue, We Stand Together, 2005.

Fernando Botero, Mother and Child, 1988.

Strolling on Bayou St John.

Fried chicken livers and slaw Po'boy.

Fried oyster Po'boy.

Had our last meal in the finest Po'boy restaurant, Mahony's. Don't forget to try their homemade bread pudding, a perfect ending for your day.
PS: DO NOT GO TO N'awlins Jazz Cafe in Magazine St [my review]