Flying to New Orleans, I didn’t know what to expect. It was my first connecting flight in the USA, through Atlanta, and I was nervous. I was previously in Florida, where locals and fellow travellers would tell us to ‘be safe’ before we boarded the flight. Of course, this didn’t inspire confidence, but New Orleans is a place you hear about so often that you assume it’s going to be incredible.
In many ways, it was incredible. But not in the ways I expected.
New Orleans: Beauty, burden, and all that jazz
New Orleans is a city where the vibrant echoes of jazz music intertwine with a rich history, where world-class cuisine and stunning architecture captivate the senses. Yet, beyond this enchanting depiction are the scars left by past hurricanes and the ongoing challenges of poverty, shaping the true essence of the city. It’s not the magical, music-filled dreamland that I had envisioned. It was heavier and more honest.
Footsteps through the past
We took a walking tour that delved into the city’s rich, often dark, history. We explored the legacy of slavery, the origins of voodoo, great fires, and disease outbreaks that may have inspired future stories of zombies, alongside the city’s fascination with vampire folklore. We stood in a clearing where enslaved people once gathered for worship. Though I’m not religious, the area held an inexplicable energy. The sun beat down as greenery invaded the space, yet a profound stillness lingered, and I knew something should be respected.
Flavours of Louisiana: Hits and misses
Of course, we sampled the ‘must-do’ New Orleans experiences: indulging in beignets and coffee at Cafe du Monde, strolling down the vibrant Bourbon Street and admiring the sparkle in the crystal shops, ending with a drink at the iconic Carousel Bar. While I’m not much of a drinker, the lively, almost overwhelming nightlife left me uneasy about navigating my way back alone. It’s certainly a scene for those seeking a high-energy party, but that’s not for me.
We tried local delicacies like jambalaya, gumbo, crab cakes, and po’ boys at highly-recommended establishments, yet the heavily seasoned flavours didn’t align with my northern English palate. While not overly spicy, the abundance of seasoning masked the individual ingredients. We found more balanced and well-executed cuisine at a fine-dining French restaurant, as well as a memorable barbecue spot which offered a simpler, more enjoyable taste.
Reflections in the sculptures
The best moments were the quiet ones, like drifting past the banks of the Mississippi River or wandering through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden as the city hummed in the distance. Tucked among the trees was a sculpture that stayed with me – Anselm Kiefer’s ‘Ptolemaïs.’
This towering, ghostly wedding dress felt less like a piece of art and more like a symbol of New Orleans – artistic, yet haunted, and heavy with history. In a beautiful city burdened by its past and steeped in layered narratives, I stood before the sculpture and thought of stories folded into the sculptured dress’s fabric.
Looking for beauty, finding honesty
People often speak about New Orleans’ unique character as if it’s effortlessly beautiful, and parts of it are. But more often, I found the beauty to be something visitors want to see – something they’re searching for because they need it to be there. If you look long enough, maybe you can find it – but it’s not always obvious, and it’s rarely uncomplicated.
There’s a collective hope, I think, that tourism will help rebuild what was lost after Hurricane Katrina. That hope carries a lot of weight and makes you feel quietly guilty for not promoting the magical place that many imagine it to be.
New Orleans is an alluring yet complex city with many flaws. It wears its history openly, yet sometimes people wish to focus on what’s growing through them – a defiant beauty of expression, art, and life. However, it may not always match your expectations, but it will stay with you long after you leave.
