New Orleans: Days 1-3

New Orleans is beautiful and spooky: beautiful because of original European architechture, spooky in that voodoo colors the entire culture, famous for being the most desperate and violent in The United States.

The buildings though are just beautiful – high ceilings, lots of tile, lots of dark solid wood, all components which lend a specific aroma.

You could compare it to the perfume of an old house, mixed with the smells of whatever’s on the menu – maybe it’s coffee, maybe it’s shrimp. Along with being so rich in other ways, Nola is also rich in smells.

The first night here was fantastic. Walked the French Quarter all the way through. Every last nook is intriguing: dark ominous bars, tons of kitchy antique shops and heaps of local art. We had a drink at The Palm Court, a dim jazz club with black and white tiles and a gaggle of regulars – the most notable being an gangly old woman named Nina who danced alone in front of the band. It was her friend Silva’s birthday, so we all sang as they brought out a cake topped with glazed strawberries. Nina and Silva then danced together, older than most dancing girls, and also with more enjoyment.

Note: Self-consciousness kills fun. This is probably an upside of old age: you are forced to stop paying your looks any thought and are thus set free to be ridiculous. Bring it on.

Late dinner -Fish tacos at a cool joint nearby. Passed 2 costume performers -the token silver silent man and a cheeky fairy sprinkled with glitter. : )

Sonya gets a text reminder for an annual headwashing ceremony(a form of voodoo baptism that anoints the head):

“… on the footbridge over Bayou St.
John, by Cabrini High School, at 7:00 pm. Please wear all-white with a
white headscarf (it will get dirty) and bring an offering for Marie
Laveau. She likes: blue and/or white flowers and candles, Creole
foods, Hairdressing supplies (she was a hairdresser), Voodoo-esque
items, like potions, dolls, gris-gris bags, John the Conqueror Roots,
etc), Salt water, Florida Water, tignons, and jewelry.”

Yea...this place is wild. Whereas the outrageous, restless, and flamboyant of most cities are confined to subculture, New Orleans is itself entire subculture. In fact, being thus allowed, its eccentricities have exploded to overflowing.