Natchez to New Orleans

We stayed one night in Lafayette, slightly problematical since most bars & restaurants were shut – it was a Monday … then on to New Orleans. On the way we sampled a boat ride in the swamps, seeing huge numbers of alligators, turtles, ospreys, eagles, herons, egrets et al, all in a spooky, ancient setting.

Later on the journey, we had a guided tour of a farm mansion & slave quarters accompanied by an apparently unbiased version of agricutural slave dependency in 19th century USA. Much food for discomfort.

And then we arrived in New Orleans. First night we ate in “Cochon”, a creole led restaurant; the menu included alligator so we all had some & agreed the slightly rubbery texture was not a match for their alive version.

After much walking around on our second NOLA (New Orleans Louisiana, not sure where any other NOs are) day, we visited the Jazz Museum; good supporting info about jazz & NOLA’s favourite child, Louis Armstrong. Then a night in Frenchman Street, on the eastern edge of the French Quarter, the best of that area’s live music streets. Saw three different bands, with different jazz offerings, all excellent. One of the best venues was The Spotted Cat, as below.