Assumptions (Inner Journey)

My expectations of this New Orleans trip come from a vacation I took with my boyfriend and ten of his family members. When you take a vacation with that many people, it is difficult to make sure that each person gets to see and do everything that they would like. When I discussed the architecture and scenery in New Orleans, I was discussing things I had seen personally, however, I am not familiar with much of the history and culture involved in the city. I feel that I had a great experience while there, but cannot recall names of restaurants, historic buildings, or certain neighborhoods in order to be able to accurately describe the city to someone who has not been there before. I would like to leave on this trip feeling more knowledgeable about the culture and lifestyle of the people of New Orleans.

Based on media, such as television and movies that depict New Orleans, I would say that the city is known for creole food, jazz music, Mardi Gras, and Hurricane Katrina. I know several people that have been to Mardi Gras, so I can understand that things can get pretty wild. I have been told that Bourbon street can become a dangerous place for someone who is alone or in a small group, especially late at night. I would be really interested in learning about the history of Mardi Gras, though, and finding out how it began, how long it has been happening, and how different people might celebrate this season. I have a friend who attends the Jazz Music Festival that is held in New Orleans every year, so I know that Jazz is a huge part of the music scene. While I was there on my last visit, you could hear music everywhere you went. Each bar or restaurant had someone playing inside, while other musicians would be performing on the street corners, somehow creating tunes with something as basic as a plastic 5-gallon bucket and a stick. I can imagine that we will get to experience this atmosphere again. At one point, the Foo Fighters were actually there putting on a last minute show in the middle of Bourbon Street, and the only announcement made was a quick Twitter update. We were lucky enough to land in the right place at the right time. I watched a documentary called ‘Sonic Highways’ about Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, and how they traveled to all these different locations to experience the music and ended up recording an album there, that was influenced by what they had experienced. Dave said, in more explicit terms than I will use, that even though he’d been, he didn’t know anything about New Orleans until he learned all he did about the music history, which goes to show how much of an impact it really has on the city.

I can say that I have a pretty general assumption of what this trip will be like considering that I have been there before, but I know I will learn more than I am even expecting to. Sometimes vacations seem rushed and people end up in the most tourist packed areas, to where a lot of the most interesting aspects of a city are missed. I am very interested in absorbing as much information as I can and really getting to experience the lifestyle of the city this time around. I cannot wait for another beignet from Café Du Monde!