So I managed to find a round-trip plane ticket from Newark Airport to New Orleans for just $150. I hadn't gone to Newark Airport in years. The commute from NYC to Newark adds at least another $30. But...who could pass up such a deal, especially with the impending heatwave sweeping through the city this weekend??
Since I'm traveling out of the country again in a few weeks, I wanted to save as much money as possible for this weekend trip.
1. Where I Stayed
India House Hostel
I stayed at a dorm-style hostel before and hesitated before booking this one. But the glowing 8000+ "superb" reviews and the ~$25/night price won me over.
And I'm so glad I did choose here. They had an outdoor swimming pool that came in very handy for the humid NOLA weather:
I was surprised that not too many travelers checked in this weekend. I suppose because NOLA was bordering 90° too?
They had a piano and "music nights" on Fridays, I believe.
Pretty much all weekend I was the only one in the dorm. Score! A couple people checked in Monday however but everyone is very respectful and quiet because there are dorm rules.
If you don't like the idea of dorms, they have private rooms available as well!
Even though I didn't cook, I really liked that they had a communal kitchen with appliances and food. Everything was very clean and well-kept.
I could see why this place had such great reviews. I would definitely recommend it for budget travelers or those looking to meet new people or are a bit scared of traveling alone. The only bad part was the numerous mosquito bites I got during the night. But that is my fault for not buying a bug spray--mosquitos are rampant in the hot summer nights in NOLA so definitely get your hands on one as soon as you land!
2. The National WWII Museum
So the main reason I had NOLA on my radar for a few months now was because of this museum. It's the official WWII museum in the US, and as morbid as it sounds, WWII is my favorite war. It's just such a horrifying yet fascinating part of human history that I feel is imperative for everyone to know and learn about.
The uniform of German vs American Infantrymen:
What was the cost of victory?
WWII lasted for 6 years from 1939~1945 & 40~50 million lives were lost.
Japan was the last country to surrender in September of 1945, finally bringing the bitter world war to an end.
At the start of the war, the US was dangerously unprepared compared to Japan and Germany.
WWII was a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. The aftermath of WWI and the terms of the Versailles "Peace" Treaty plunged Germany further into economic turmoil, boiling the waters for bitter resentment.
Mussolini, Hirohito, and Stalin were just as unhinged as Hitler. It still astounds me that these egotistical psychotic men were able to convince so many people to believe in them.
"Propaganda reminded the public of Hitler's power, wisdom, and greatness"...But forgot to inform the public that he was a failed, bitter artist who got rejected twice and had no talent or imagination, go figure.
Most of the American public was divided into these 2 groups regarding the war in Europe. The Interventionists believed that we should help but the Isolationists believed in putting America first and not getting involved.
Until...the Day of Infamy drew the US into the war:
Japanese-American citizens faced extreme racism back home, fueled by the Executive Order 9066 that FDR passed. In contrast, despite the anti-German hysteria in the US, German-Americans and Italian-Americans did not suffer the same fate as Japanese-Americans.
"Why did the country deny so many citizens the same rights for which its soldiers were giving their lives overseas?"
I don't know...The hypocrisy behind the ideals that this country preaches is something you just learn to accept with a sigh of resignation as you grow older...
"Despite skepticism from the millitary and the American public, 350,000 women volunteered for the armed forces during WWII."
Enrico Fermi, the ingenious physicist who was also called the "architect of the nuclear age", was married to a Jewish woman. He left fascist Italy in 1938 for her protection and moved to the US. He worked on The Manhattan Project and his contribution eventually led to the development of the atomic bomb...which finally led to the end of WWII.
This portion of the museum was so creative, with the tropical feel of the decore!
The US mounted its 1st major landing at Guadalcanal island to halt Japanese efforts to disrupt supply routes to Australia and New Zealand. This battle took 6 months and the Allies eventually finally took over the island.
I also loved the winter-y feel of this area:
In winter 1944, the "Battle of the Bulge" was launched by Hitler against the Americans in the Ardennes as a last gamble in a bid to win the war.
This is the greatest land battle fought in American military history. The Allies won against all odds fighting in the midst of a fierce winter storm.
This museum is HUGE. You can easily spend 2 days in here, which I recommend. After 3+ hours of exploring in the first day, I felt exhausted and all the information intake was too much for my brain to handle.
3. The Voodoo Museum
I did not know that voodoo-ism was from NOLA. It is a religion that connects the nature with energy, spirits, and ancestors.
After the Haitian Revoluation of 1791, many Haitians moved to New Orleans and voodoo-ism grew as many free people made it a part of their culture. Voodoo combined West African religious rituals with Catholicism.
Interesting history on zombies!
Gris-gris is a small bag filled with 3~13 things (always an odd number) such as herbs, hair, crystals, etc. It is anointed with oil and carried on the body.
The 4 basic types of gris-gris are: Love, Good luck & money, Business & legal matters, and Protection.
Marie Laveau, "Voodoo Queen of N.O.", was a Louisiana Creole woman who was famous for practicing Voodoo, herbalism, and midwifery.
She was widely known and famous for healing the sick and helping the poor.
4. The Museum of Death
Morbid? I couldn't skip out on a museum named after death!
No photos were allowed inside, and the ticket was about $20 (it's a pretty small museum) but I felt it was well worth it for being such a creative, unique, and eclectic place.
Did you know that 76% of all serial killers of the 20th century were from the US?
Dr. Kevorkian, known as "Dr. Death", assisted in 100+ suicides of terminally ill patients. He was convicted of "murder" in 1999 and served 8 years in prison. Dr. Kevorkian brought to public light the issue of terminally ill patients' right to die.
He did not see dying as a crime, but as a personal right/choice and a means to end unendurable suffering.
You will see some items that once belonged to him in the museum including his invention, "The Thanatron". Here he is pictured with it--it was a device that utilized lethal injection used to assist in euthanasia.
At the age of 14, she was raped by her grandfather's friend and became pregnant. She put her son up for adoption and by 15, she had turned to prostitution to support herself...for the rest of her life.
She was sentenced to death and executed in 2002 at the age of 46 for killing 7 men.
Actress Charlize Theron portrayed Wuornos in 2003's "Monster" and won an Oscar for her role.
5. Mardi Gras World
Mardi Gras is one of the first things that come to people's minds when they think of NOLA. But Mardi Gras is actually a Catholic holiday (New Orleans is majority Catholic). It means "Fat Tuesday" in French. Mardi Gras celebrates the time leading up to Lent, eating fatty foods the day before fasting beings--on Ash Wednesday.
Blaine Kern, "Mr. Mardi Gras", was often compared to Disney and built these giant floats for the Mardi Gras parade displayed in this museum. Kern Studios now build floats for all occasions all over the world, not just the Mardi Gras parade in NOLA.
These were some of my favorites.
I loved this book as a kid!
Still looks better than the Will Smith genie, haha!
What's up, doc??
I loved Bugs Bunny more than Disney characters as a kid:
Even if I've been in NYC for 9 years, I still have SF pride:
6. The French Quarter
The French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in NOLA and is the heart of the city. It is a great place to walk around and really get the "feel" of NOLA. Most of the Creole and Cajun restaurants, bars, and nightclubs are located here.
I loved the streetcars, they reminded me of SF, and the great classic movie, "A Streetcar Named Desire".
I spotted this lovely painting in an art gallery. I wish I knew the artist's name--it's such a stunning piece of work!
I stopped by to see the famous Mississippi River. There are cruises available but due to the coming and going rain, I just enjoyed the view at the pier for a bit before heading back:
Food!!
Of course a trip to NOLA isn't complete without trying out their famous Cajun and Creole cuisine.
Prices were relatively cheap (compared to NYC in my POV, so it really depends where you are coming from). I'd say I averaged about $20 per meal at all the places I tried.
Breakfast at Ruby Slipper Cafe with a mimosa drink & smoked salmon/poached eggs benedict:
Gumbo soup, Jambalaya, and shrimp Étouffée in 1 plate at The Gumbo Shop. I found the cuisine to be very mildly spicy. But there were always hot sauce available at the table or for the asking in Creole/Cajun restaurants:
Étouffée and Jambalaya at Mother's Restaurant, another famous staple place:
I had to try Jambalaya and Gumbo from a local pub. Price was around $15 with similar quanity of food but tasted similar to the more famous restaurants.
(Can you tell I really loved Jambalaya??)
And I had to try these Voodoo chips!! They didn't taste any different from your average kettle-cooked potato chips, but I loved the name and the packaging idea!
I would say I enjoyed New Orleans even more than I enjoyed Atlanta (and I loved Atlanta!).
I think the difference is the distinct Creole culture, and just the unique character that NOLA possesses that no other city I've been to has. If you go anywhere in the South, make sure to add NOLA to your itinerary, you won't regret it!
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