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Overview
Not surprisingly, the "Big Easy" has a long, fascinating history. Western explorers, most notably Rene-Robert Cavelier, better known as Sieur de La Salle, first explored the Mississippi River in the late 17th century. It didn't take long – 1718, as a matter of fact – before the French decided that founding a port city where the Mississippi empties into the Gulf of Mexico would be a strategic and commercial advantage. Laid out five feet below sea level, Nouvelle Orléans would prosper over the next several decades no matter whose auspices – France, Spain, France again, and, eventually, the United States – its residents found themselves under.
During the 19th century, New Orleans gained renown as the leading port for sugar, fruit, rum and other goods arriving from the West Indies. It was then that the city also saw a large influx of immigrants, particularly those seeking to escape the Haitian Revolution. Of African descent, they thickened the gumbo of a place already heavily seasoned with French influence, bringing with them not only a deep love of music but also a belief in voodoo. By the time the Civil War began, this was one of the United States' most dynamic cities –a cosmopolitan place where Cajun and Creole cultures coexisted, intertwined and ultimately flourished.
Yet, tied to the past as it is, for New Orleans there's no time like right now. Her untethered spirit and indefatigable devotion to the art of celebration have attracted folks young and old for years. Drink in hand, she beckons to travelers with her brassy siren's song, forever reminding them that, here, more than anywhere else, is the place where les bon temps rouler. This fact has never been more clear than it was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when, in light of widespread devastation and massive population displacement, some officials suggested postponing the 2006 Mardi Gras festivities.
Residents completely balked at the notion. After all, this is "The City that Care Forgot." The parades, music and mass revelry took place just like always – only this time, there were a few floats designed to make light of the disaster. "We're still here," the floats seemed to say, "You can't ruin our party." And though the Lower Ninth Ward continues to bear the wounds of 2005, it's worth noting that the more heavily touristed areas of the city managed to escape much of the flood damage, and neighborhoods like the French Quarter, Magazine Street and the Garden District remain the vibrant, alluring draws they've always been.
The prominence of partying, po' boys and beignets go without saying, and if you don't adore eating and drinking, you may think this isn't the place for you. Don't rush to judge. Nobody's suggesting you shouldn't indulge, but your trip doesn't have to revolve around Hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's. There are, in fact, subtler, more intrinsic qualities that make Crescent City visits unforgettable.
They're found when you wake up early and make your way to Bourbon Street. Misty and quiet, the New Orleans morning is a veritable gallery of vignettes. Watch as the merchants wash away yesterday and prepare for today, quietly spraying off the worn slate sidewalks. Venture deeper into the Quarter and encounter lovely residences, their wrought iron balconies adorned with hanging baskets. Heavy with long, trailing vines and colorful blossoms, their morning water drips to the sidewalk. You also find the city's quality at dusk, as sun battles to leave one last glimmer of light over the Mississippi. Watch as the ships maneuver the deep, dark waters just like they did yesterday and just like they'll do tomorrow. Yeah ... A certain timeless style pervades everything New Orleans does, and even during the most mundane moments, it's an extraordinary place.
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