By Laura Bijnsdorp
About a week ago, I impatiently boarded my plane. I was headed to New Orleans! Friends of mine who had visited in the past had spoken highly of the city in Louisiana. Nicknamed the "Big Easy", the city was known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene, and spicy cuisine. While the prospect of experiencing all three of those aspects of New Orleans excited me, the main reason for my exhilaration was that I was heading there for a wedding.
My good friend Alex, who I had gotten to know during my sailing adventures, was getting married! As a bonus, many others close to both Alex and me were traveling from all corners of the world to attend the wedding. Nine hours later, I neared the Airbnb that my three girlfriends – Martine, Maria, Kippy – and I had booked. It was nearly midnight, but thanks to the many streetlights, I could enjoy a first look at the colourful architecture. The houses were built with styles borrowed from colonial French, Spanish and Caribbean. This unique blend, which had happened over the last three centuries, was one of the reasons New Orleans had such charm.
A city filled with music
The next morning was a whirlwind of reunions. I had only met the bride, Corry, once in the past. She was welcoming, had a captivating laugh and it was obvious that she loved Alex and Alex loved her. We all questioned Alex quietly, “How did you manage to catch her?!”
As the bridal party left for the afternoon to make preparations, we went to take a look at French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré (Old Square). Built on a swamp, the unique geography of the Mississippi River delta and its strategic importance to control the interior of North America made it both a desirable and challenging location for a city.
It has been a continuous residential neighbourhood since it was founded in 1718, withstanding hurricanes, floods, fires, yellow fever epidemics, war, neglect, industrialization, and commercialization. Many of the over 35,000 buildings in New Orleans listed on the National Register of Historic Places are in the French Quarter. Some residents of the French Quarter are the fifth generation of their families to live in the Vieux Carré.
The blocks of the famous old square were filled with antique stores, clothing boutiques, specialty food items, inviting bars and – best of all – a lot of music! I had learned that New Orleans was considered the birthplace of Jazz, so I am not sure why I was surprised to hear great live music on every street corner. Talented saxophonists, trumpeters, trombonists, bassists, drummers, guitarists, pianists and vocalists invited you to listen to tunes that formed much of what New Orleans is today.
A friendly New Orleanian I met, while watching a four-person act on Frenchman Street, told me that it all started at the beginning of the 1800s. During that time, slaves would meet at Congo Square, an outdoor space in New Orleans, and eventually their African beats would mix with Caribbean music, church melodies from the south and military marching band music.
After taking in the sights, it was time for the rehearsal dinner. I had expected to have great food, but not that I’d cry. Luckily, the heartfelt speeches that made me choke up only started after I had eaten the amazing filet mignon!
A wedding and parade
The wedding the following day was held in the heart of French Quarter. Fancied-up, my friends and I walked into Latrobe's On Royal, a gorgeous venue that was completed in 1822 as the Louisiana State Bank. A handsome man showed us to our seats in the front row. I can speak for all of us that we were extremely touched that we were seated next to Alex’s parents.
The music started, and I impatiently stared at the entrance. The next 15 minutes were filmesque. The wedding party walked in arm in arm. Alex walked in smiling nervously. Corry’s bridesmaids looked flawless in their blue dresses. Alex’s hairy groomsmen had cleaned up surprisingly well. Corry, who looked like a princess, stole the show.
After the ceremony, the two doors in front of which the newly wedded couple had exchanged vows opened into a magical hall of wine, food, and dancing. At 11:00, my feet – already sore from moving to the great tunes of the brass band in the hall – had to take to the streets, for what is called a “second line parade”.
Second line parades have become one of the most popular traditions of New Orleans’ weddings. The brass band led us onto the streets of French Quarter. Alex and Corry held onto decorated umbrellas and guests were given white handkerchiefs, which we waved about on the beat of the drums.
It was possibly the most entertaining way to move a large crowd from one location to the next. I am not sure how many blocks we danced, to the delight of many onlookers, to the next venue. When enough cars started honking due to the traffic we were creating, we were finally led into a bar to end our night.
Never enough oysters
The next day, the girls and I woke up hangry. After a night of dancing, a good meal is required. We took a Uber to a restaurant known for making some great “Nola” staple dishes. First on the list was trying the oysters. During various happy hours, you can get 50 cent raw oysters or – what turned out to be my favourite – one dollar charbroiled oysters that were covered in butter, garlic and parmesan cheese!
To soak up the champagne from the night before, we also had the main dish of Po-Boys, which are basically overstuffed sandwiches served on French bread. Unfortunately, my shrimp po-boy did not leave much of an impression. Corry’s friends later told me that one should always go with the pork belly po-boy!
Later that week, we also had a chance to attend a gumbo festival, where I had a few helpings of the stew, which is made with okra, seafood and rice. I also tried jambalaya, which might actually have been my favourite traditional New Orleans dish. Jambalaya seemed to be a close relative of paella where the rice, stock, seasonings, vegetables, and meat are cooked together.
Lastly, we also made the effort to eat the city’s signature pastry. Café Du Monde is famous for its beignets. It was beyond me why people would stand in line for what seemed to be just a piece of fried dough with sugar. I tried one and still did not understand the hype. I’d definitely stand in a long line for those charbroiled oysters again, though!
Beauty comes with a price
Although the city of New Orleans offered plenty of entertainment, I also wanted to see some of the surroundings it was famous for. In the short time I was there, I did not see the swamps, but we did make it to the countryside to soak in some history at a former plantation.
I chose Oak Alley Plantation because the advertisement of it that I had seen in a flier looked simply stunning. The property did not disappoint. 300-year-old oak trees lined up perfectly towards a pristine white Greek Revival-style mansion. It was no wonder that many a movie had been shot on its grounds. It was almost too easy to forget that the hands of slaves had built this dreamy place.
During the height of the sugar plantation’s productivity, around the 1830s, over 100 slaves had lived in small wooden shacks, not too far from the main house. There was one informational display that especially caught my attention that day. It listed the value of each plantation slave, from Heylia (63), who was worth $50, up to George (26), who was worth $1,800. In today’s prices, Heylia would be worth $1,250 and George $45,000, which once again bring into perspective how perverted the idea surrounding slavery is, casting a dark shadow on the mansion I had just moments earlier admired.
On the hour drive back to the city, I watched bright green valleys, perfectly manicured lawns, colourful Creole townhouses; vast grey swamps and wide bustling rivers pass us by. That evening, old and new friends sat around a bonfire in Alex and Corry’s backyard. The six days I spent in New Orleans only left me wanting more time to spend with the people around and more time to explore the deep South. When is the next wedding?!
