Italian Stiletto for comment

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

"Nando, you make me want to pack my bags and go right now! Just had a friend that went and did a cemetary tour of the city. She was completely blown away! I hear that the bar where Jean Lafette used to hang out is stil there. That river boat also sounds extremely amazing! Fernando, did you go while you were visiting here?

Speaking of river boats, didn't Jim Bowie have a knife fight atop one in a famous duel on the Mississippi? Have to do a little research on that one.

Wayne, that is truly a nice piece! Good find!

Avast there Capn Mark!
Been to New Orleans MANY times, and yup, the building that is claimed to be Lafitte's is still there. The cemetery's are kinda spooky, if you recall the scenes out of "Easy Rider" (1969) pretty good idea. People still pay pilgrimages to the Voodoo queens crypt.
There are the 'dueling oaks' (not fighting trees but the place where many duels were fought).
Bowie's 'sandbar fight' took place in a sandy shoal in the Mississippi near Natchez, chose to avoid jurisdiction in legal aspects as it was neither Louisiana nor Mississippi . The fight was actually a brawl that broke out AFTER the duel with seconds and witnesses all involved. They had all gotten to the shoal by boat.
Going through Arkansas, I visited the blacksmith shop where Black made the knives for Jim and Rezin Bowie. They are still forging and it was amazing to see.
Mosquitos......the quarter and tourist areas aren't too bad as there is a lot of spraying etc. but get out of those into outlying areas and yikes.

Alligators...……….along with popcorn shrimp, gumbo, the catfish and gator are pretty good eatin'.....along with beer and blues, oh yeah!.

Late at night, Bourbon St. is pretty much the way it was back then in those heady days nearly 200 yrs ago as far as liveliness, and the great buildings that came later as the city grew, and the antebellum mansions etc. are awesome.

Fantastic place! and Wayne, your stiletto is pretty awesome too, looks very New Orleans in the manner we have described.

[kronckew]

NOLA even had a good German Restaurant, I couldn't afford to eat there on an Ensigns salary. Ate many a Po'boy or Muffeletta sandwich (aka 'hero' or 'submarine') which were cheap and you could get just about anything layered on them. Them or red beans and rice (usually with hamhock and cajun sausage in it). And tons of shrimp and crawdads (crayfish) tho I never could bring myself to suck the heads out like the locals.

When we first moved there, in 1968, we lived in a small efficiency apartment on Royal just off Canal street a few doors down from a large Antique arms and armour dealer. Bought a cool elaborately engraved double headed indian parade axe there, since lost over the years of moving. racks of swords, halberds, spears, flintlocks, etc etc etc. It's still there! Antique Guns and Swords, 437 Royal. see below! spent many an hour drooling in there (and spending a few dollars). Y'all can blame them for getting me started in this mad avocation

French market was a couple blocks away as was Bourbon street. Beignets and coffee every morning before getting to the MIO offices at 9 that was a long trip of two blocks. We were on Camp & Common, a block other side of Camp from our flat.