I didn’t know it, but it was Southern Decadence days in New Orleans.
Cafe du Monde
Cafe du Monde is a New Orleans institution. It is a place you have to go to when in New Orleans. And expect long lines! That was my first stop for the day.
What they are famous for is beignets. That is about all they serve. Love them!
According to the Cafe du Monde website, the Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. The Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It closes only on Christmas Day and on the day an occasional Hurricane passes too close to New Orleans.
The Original Cafe Du Monde is a traditional coffee shop. Its menu consists of dark roasted Coffee and Chicory, Beignets, White and Chocolate Milk, and fresh squeezed Orange Juice. The coffee is served Black or Au Lait. Au Lait means that it is mixed half and half with hot milk. Beignets are square French -style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar.
Southern Decadence
After leaving Cafe du Monde, I took the obligatory picture of Jackson Square which is right outside the coffee shop along with lots of horse drawn carriages.
As I started to walk around the French Quarter I started to notice something – a lot a scantily clad men. Some is normal in this area where sexual freedom is the norm. It isn’t unusual in the French Quarter to see nearly topless women you can take pictures with for tips, women lifting their tops for beads, and men holding hands. I soon learned it was Southern Decadence Labour Day Weekend.
Southern Decadence is the largest gay weekend in New Orleans and was celebrating it 46th annual celebration.
As I had an afternoon coffee, I noticed lots of men and women dressed up walking pass. I followed them to Royal street where a parade was about to start.
During the parade I met Marley and Nicole. They now live in New Orleans and she was trying out her new, but old film camera. They had traveled lots and we exchanged travel stories.
By the evening the police arrived to break up some of the festivities.
I didn’t see what happened, but earlier there was a group of Christian activists protesting against the gay lifestyle. Needless to say, a number of heated arguments were taking place.
I planned on staying out late. But my old body gets tired too quickly. So back to the hostel.
Route for September 4, 2016
