Louisiana, Part 3: Where y'at? Back in New Orleans.

We were back in New Orleans on Tuesday, April 15. The drive back from Arnaudville was uneventful and we arrived at our Airbnb accomodations just after lunch. For the next two nights we rented a groovy shotgun house in the Marigny district, an up-and-coming neighbourhood about 15 minutes walk northeast of the French Quarter.

Once we dropped off our stuff at the house, we returned our car and walked around parts of the French Quarter we'd not previously explored. We also checked out Frenchmen Street, which is known for its live music venues. After walking around that neighbourhood a bit, we stopped for a mid-afternoon beer at a sunny restaurant / bar called Dat Dog. There we started chatting with Dan the bartender, who had a good sense of humour and who clued us in to a few local attractions that we could check out, including a well-known brass band playing that night. We ended up having a second beer and Dan bought us shots of bourbon, so we left in - and filled with - good spirits.

Rebirth Brass Band

That night we took Dan's advice and went uptown to The Maple Leaf bar to see the Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band. These guys combine traditional New Orleans brass band music with funk, jazz and hip-hop. The band has been around since the early 80's and has since evolved into a New Orleans institution, playing at the Maple Leaf Bar most Tuesdays when not touring the world. When we got the bar it was still pretty empty (though we met a girl who lives at Harbord and Shaw), but when the band started the place soon became packed. From what we saw (we only stayed for an hour or so) it was a lot of fun, but I will say that all of those horns make for a loud show. Afterwards we scarfed down some street-side hotdogs and jerk chicken and headed home.

Dat Dog!

We weren't exactly in top shape the next morning, but we took advantage of the sunny day to stroll down to and along the Mississippi. Afterwards we enjoyed some delicious jambalaya and a po'boy at the local hang-out Coop's Place in the French Quarter. On our way home we stopped in at Dat Dog for a beer and to say hi to our friend Dan. That night we met up with Ayesha and her boyfriend Nate who happened to be in town as well. It turned out that they were staying just a block north of us in Marigny. We met at our place at 6:30 pm and walked about 40 minutes southeast to a popular wine bar-restaurant recommended by Dan. We sat outside and had a nice time catching up with Ayesha and getting to know Nate over dinner and a couple bottles of wine. Unlike the previous evening, we called it an early night as we were all leaving town the next day.

On Thursday morning, Jérôme and I got a cab to the airport (our cabbie was a very lively lady named Pamela) and went our separate ways: me to Boston for Easter and Jérôme to Toronto. Both of us left very happy with our ten days of 'buddy time' and tourism in Chicago-Louisiana. We both agreed that it would definitely be worth returning to both places.

Good jambalaya at Coop's Place

Steamboat on the Mississippi

French Quarter stuff

St. Louis cathedral

Our apartment

 

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Louisiana, Part 2: Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

On April 12 we picked up our rental car and headed out of New Orleans to Arnaudville (pop. 1,500), a village northeast of Lafayette where we'd be staying for three nights. Arnaudville interested us because it's in the heart of Cajun country and close to many local points of interest, including the Bayou Teche waterway and historic plantations. In greater Louisiana, French is prominent in family names and names of streets, shops and towns. But in the Arnaudville area of St. Martin parish and beyond (Louisiana is divided into parishes, not counties), about 30% of people actually speak French or Cajun French. We were looking forward to meeting our francophone cousins and learning more of thier culture and cuisine over the next few days.

Les bons temps à Pont Breaux's

On our way to Arnaudville, we took regional roads as much as possible which brought us through some nice countryside and small communities. In the town of St. Martinville, we stopped to check out a local sight and met two middle-aged couples having a drink by the river. We ended up chatting with them for about 30 minutes (people are so friendly here!) and they gave us some tips on things to visit in the area, including a popular restaurant in nearby Breaux Bridge called Pont Breaux's. We ended up at Pont Breaux's for dinner, which is a popular spot with locals and tourists alike for its food and live music. There, we were entertained by a live Cajun band and dancing locals, both young and old. Breaux Bridge is known as the crawfish capital of the world (Louisiana supplies 95% of crawfish harvested in the US), so while Jérôme went for alligator and gumbo, I went for the local delicacy: 4 pounds of boiled crawfish (aka. mudbugs). What I didn't expect was that I'd be served an enormous mound of these small crustaeceans, which resembled a mass of large insects. I didn't even know how to eat these things, so the server had to show me the technique for taking them apart. Each one requires a delicate deconstruction to get at the tiny bit of meat in the tail. For me, the whole process was not visually off-putting, but required a too much effort for too little reward. With the staff looking on in amusement, I toughed it out for a good 45 minutes and only got halfway the serving, so I called it quits and we bagged the rest. Thankfully the dish came with a couple potatoes and some corn or else I would'a left pretty hungry.

We got to our Airbnb accomodations in Arnaudville later that night, one of two small cottages run by a local artist, Jacqui. The place itself was very nice and very clean, but we were less fond of the three large cockroaches that we saw within a few minutes of our arrival. We soon discovered that our place had a hole under the stove, so they were getting in through there. It turns out that these guys are indigenous to the area and in our case, hung out in the pine tree on the front yard. Luckily the manager of the property, George, was staying in the cottage next door and offered to switch with us, since his place was roach free. So we did, but that didn't stop a flying roach from getting in later on when the door was open and landing on Jérôme's chest while he was reading in bed.

Rosedown Plantation

The next day, Sunday, we drove northwest of Baton Rouge to the town of St. Francisville to see its impressive historic homes. There we also visited a beautiful cemetary filled with enormous oak trees, as well as the impressive 19th century Rosedown Plantation, which is designated as a National Historic Landmark and which once 'employed' around 450 slaves. That evening, we went to the Whiskey River Landing bar in Henderson to see Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band kick out some lively zydeco jams. Whiskey River has live music every Sunday evening from 4:00-8:00 and it gets packed with people of all ages who tear up the dancefloor. Like salsa or swing, people dance in pairs to this music and each couple dances with thier own unique style. It's all super casual and everyone was having a great time. I can't think of any place in Toronto where people from so many different age groups and backgrounds come to dance together. It's amazing and the way it should be.

Cherie no. 1

On Monday morning we headed back to Henderson for an airboat tour of the bayou in the Atchafalaya Basin. Our guide and captain of the boat was Kirk Guidry, a good-humoured, French-speaking Cajun who enjoyed having on board two francophone cousins from the north. For the next two hours, he toured eight of us through the bayou swamps of the Atchafalaya Basin. The basin is filled with large cypress trees that give the impression of being in a flooded forest. On our tour we visited a couple female alligators and fed them morsels of meat and marshmallows (females generally stay in the same area and are easy to find if you know where to look, as Mr. Guidry did). One of the females had a few babies with her and was fiercely protective of her territory, hissing and snapping. You did not want to get close. Mr. Guidry visits these ladies regularly as part of his daily tours. He affectionately calls them 'Cherie' and speaks to them in French. Apart from the wildlife, it was great to cruise around the bayou on an airboat, particularly when we went under the highway, which is built on concrete pillars crossing the swamp for miles.

That afternoon we visited the Bayou Teche microbrewery, located in Arnaudville, for a tour of their small plant. The company is about four years old and produces a diverse series of beers. The company is loyal to the French roots of the region, so all of its beers have French names and they even produce a few beers in collaboration with breweries in Belgium and France (they're working on a similar collaboration with a Quebec brewery). Even though we showed up unannounced, one of the staff, Carlos, was happy to give us a personal tour of the plant and give samples of their several beers. Carlos and his colleagues were really generous with their time explaining the brewing process to us, as well as some history in the region and recommendations of food to try and places to visit.

Our plan was to visit Lafayette following the tour, but it started raining pretty hard. Instead, we drove around a bit and then followed Carlos' recommendations to stop at Poché's market for some boudin (a type of cajun sausage) and cracklins (fried pig skin and fat). With those in hand, we spent the evening watching reality shows on bayou alligator hunters and on buyer-seller guys in New England. Good times.

We left Arnaudville the next day to make our way back to New Orleans, very satisfied with our three days in Cajun country. Apart for a stop for fried chicken in a small village, it was an uneventful drive.

 

Bayou Teche Brewery

Boiled crawfish

Church and cemetery in St. Francisville

Gardens at Rosedown Plantation

Bayou of the Atchafalaya Basin

Morsels for Cherie no. 1

Cherie no. 2

Jérôme with M. Guidry

Airboat (smaller than the one we took)

 

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Louisiana, Part 1: Who Dat? New Orleans!

Our train pulled into New Orleans on the afternoon of Thursday, April 10. Both Jérôme and I slept off-and-on throughout the night, but enough to keep us going for the rest of the day. The funny thing was that following breakfast service in the dining / observation car, people got into some serious drinking - likely helped by the attendant who announced over the PA that they made the best bloody marys on the rails. By about noon, the observation car was full of people in good humour, listening to music and drinking beer, wine and spirits (one lady was even passing around vodka-infused gummy bears). And it was loud. As we approached New Orleans, the train passed through sections of the bayou where we spotted many turtles and a few aligators.

At the train station in New Orleans, our Airbnb host, Clayton, picked us up to bring us to our accommodations - a traditional shotgun house. The place is in a trendy, historic neighbourhood called the Garden District, which is not far from the city center and known for its beautiful heritage homes.

Once settled, we went out for our first po' boy sandwich - a Louisiana-style submarine sandwich with meat or fried seafood in a baguette (delicious when done well) - and then strolled our way towards downtown to check out the famed French Quarter. True to its reputation, the Quarter is very charming and picturesque. But once we got to Bourbon Street, things got goofy. The strip is lined with dozens of neon-illuminated bars and packed with people, all with drinks in hand. None of the bars seem genuine and it all got boring pretty fast. We watched a blues band play at one place (they play there five nights a week) and then ended up at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, a bar at the end of the strip that is in one of the oldest structures in the city (circa 1770). Some locals hang out there and we made a decent time it. No matter what you think Bourbon Street, you can't visit New Orleans without spending one night there.

The next day we strolled around the Garden District to check out the homes and a famous cemetary. We then took the streetcar downtown (note: heed the warnings telling you not to put your arm outside the window or it will hit a street sign) to check out the French Quarter Festival. The festival is the city's biggest draw after Mardi Gras and features dozens of bands over four days - all for free. There we enjoyed some live cajun music, delicious po' boys and a lot of people watching. We also took the opportunity to explore the French Quarter by day and enjoy its beautiful architecture.

By late afternoon our feet were sore, so we headed home to rest up before the evening. For dinner, we went for dinner in our neighbourhood to a place called Casamento's, a famous 'olde thyme' seafood restaurant specializing in oysters, gumbo and other regional delights. Unfortunately we were disapointed. We didn't enjoy the massive, tasteless Louisiana oysters, whereas the po' boys and gumbo were just OK. For a place of its status, we found it too bland and too expensive. Oh well.

Afterwards we intended to check out some live cajun music at a well-known venue called Tipitina's, but abandoned the idea when we discovered that the main band wasn't starting til midnight (we were leaving town the next day and didn't want to be tired for our drive). Instead we opted for a drink at an interesting-looking bar called Ms. Mae's that we'd passed on our walk over. The place is a dive, but with lots of character and characters. Apart from this, what stood out was the ridiculous drink prices: bottled beers for $1.50, shots and mixed drinks for $2, and doubles for $3. Plus, the place is open 24/7. For real. Talk about a recipe for disaster. One girl we met said the beers are so cheap she and her friends pay in quarters. Needless to say, one drink turned into many and we stayed til past 1:00 am. But we met many good people and it was worth it.

The next morning we made it to Avis by noon to get out car and get on the highway for three days in bayou country. Aieeee!

Some observations:

• People are really friendly here and very helpful. ...and they do say 'y'all' a lot.
• French is featured quite prominently around the city and many people do speak some French or have parents that do.
• They are also big fans of the New Orleans Saints and are still very proud of their Super Bowl win in 2009. The Saints slogan is 'Who dat?' and at first we were wondering why we were seeing this everywhere. We've since joined the Who Dat Nation.
• New Orleans is pretty much a black and white town. Unlike Chicago, there are not a lot of Asians or even Latinos here.
• Transit is cheap ($1.25), but service is slow and inconsistent.
• In Louisiana, the median of a boulevard is called the 'neutral ground'.

Bourbon Street

French Quarter apartments

More French Quarter apartments

Streetcar on Canal Street

Typical house in the Garden District

Deep fried shrimp Po' Boy!

Ms. Mae's

Prices at Ms. Mae's

 

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Toronto-Chicago

After four months abroad, I landed in Toronto on Friday, April 4. It was good to be home and see my family and friends. It felt like barely any time had passed since I left Toronto, but it also seemed so long ago that I was in Greece back in November-December. As anxious as I was to get out and everything and everyone I missed, my Singapore-to-London-to-Toronto jet lag left me pretty dazed and fighting sleep each night. But I pulled through; over the next few days, I caught up with friends and family and enjoyed the cool Toronto weather (finally warming up after the worst winter in years).

With one month left of my six month vacation, I was also excited to get to the Chicago-Louisiana leg of my journey that I'd planned with Jérôme. This would would take us to Chicago for almost two days, and then to Louisiana for an exploration of New Orleans and Cajun country for one week. From there Jérôme would return to Toronto and I'd carry on to Boston for Easter with my cousins. I was looking forward to this trip with my friend as perfect conclusion to my adventures abroad.

A real downtown

Jérôme and I flew to Chicago the morning of April 8. We landed at 10:30 and arrived at our Airbnb apartment in the Logan Square area just after noon. Once settled, we walked down Milwaukee Ave to Daman Ave, a trendy part of town packed with shops and restaurants. From there we were pointed to Big Star, a very popular taco restaurant and bar (busy even on a Tuesday afternoon). There we ate a variety of succulent tacos and sampled regional beers while chatting with the bartender and other people at the bar. For dessert, I enjoyed a delicious donut at a fancy donut shop across the street. Jérôme then bought a pair of fancy jeans and we took the train downtown to explore Chicago's famous architecture. I hadn't been to Chicago for years and had forgotten how expansive the downtown core is ("a real downtown" according to Jérôme). After a touring the major sights, we made our way back uptown for dinner and called it an early night. All in we covered about 10 km by foot, so we were happy to take a load off at the end of the day.

The next day we walked around the Polish district just north of our where we were staying, had lunch at the popular Revolution Brewery, and then made our way south to the Ukranian district ("Ukie town"). Our feet were sore from walking the day before and we likely covered another 10 km, so by the time we got back to our apartment to check-out, we were just looking forward to getting on our night train to New Orleans and sitting for a long while. At 5:00 pm we checked out of our apartment and headed downtown. Our train was not til later, so we had some food and a couple drinks at a bar near the train station. The bar - the Burger Joint - was very ordinary, but we were served by a lively bartender named April who had been to Toronto several times and was amused by our Canadian accents. We spent a fun time there with April, watching the Habs play the Blackhawks, and then made our way to the train station to catch our 8:00 pm train to the Big Easy.

On board I was annoyed to discover that we didn't have beds, just reclining seats (all overnight trains and busses I'd taken in India had beds and I mistakenly assumed that this train would be the same). I was worried that I wouldn't fall asleep, but it wasn't long before I was in dream land. Zzzz.

Taco heaven

Conquering the Sears Tower

Revolution Brewery

The Polish district

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48 Hours in London

On April 1 I took the 13 hour flight from Singapore to London, where I would spend the next couple of days before my April 4 flight home. My original intention in passing through London was to visit my longtime friend, Julie Sage, who I'd not seen in many years. Unfortunately it turned out that she would be in New York for a conference, so I made arrangements to stay with my friend Andrey whom I met in Kalymnos back in November. I had been a bit hesitant to ask Andrey if I could stay with him, along with his roommate, Alexi, and girlfriend, Julie, but after Singapore I couldn't bear staying in another crowded, over-priced hostel. Thankfully Andrey was kind enough to give me a place on his couch, even though (unbenownst to me) he was quite busy preparing for a couple job interviews.

I landed in London at 5:00 am on April 2 and caught the tube to Andrey's place, which is close to downtown in an area that was formerly a big dock yard (near Canada Water and Surrey Quays stations). Even though we'd only hung out for about a week in Kalymnos and had since not seen each other in over three months, we got along well right away. He, Julie and Alexi made me feel at home after my long trip. The three of them left for work shortly after my arrival, so I took advantage of the quiet time to have a much-needed nap before heading out to explore a bit of London, which I'd not visited in about 25 years! The location of Andrey's apartment is conveniently located near the Thames river and the 'Thames Path' which goes along the river towards downtown. It was a nice day (a magnificent 12 degrees in comparison to the dreadful heat in Singapore), so I made my way along the Thames Path and enjoyed the walk along the river and through various neighbourhoods. Along the way, I enjoyed my first flavourful beer in months and a plate of bangers and mash - so good! At the Tower Bridge I crossed the river and walked to St. Paul's and then onwards to Covent Garden where I enjoyed another pint. In all, I walked over 12 km before catching the tube home from Leicester Square. Once back, I received surprise news from my friend Julie - she'd be back from New York early the next morning, so we'd be able to meet after all. I was very happy, as we'd not seen each other for about 7-8 years and I wasn't sure when our next opportunity to meet would be. With this good news in hand, I met Andrey and his girlfriend Julie for dinner that evening. I was glad to get to bed that night, jet-lagged and with sore feet.

Me and Julie: friends forever!

The next day I made plans to meet Julie at her place in the Islington area, only a few subway stops from Andrey's apartment. It was fantastic to see my old friend again after so many years and to meet her 15 month-old daughter, Marguerite. (Her partner, Richard, and young son, Paul-Martin, were at work and daycare, respectively, so I unfortunately did not meet them.) What amazed us both was that it seemed as if no time had passed; we were into our old banter right away. This is a sure sign of a solid friendship - a beautiful thing. We only spent the afternoon together, but it was so good to catch up in person, to reminisce about old times and share a few laughs. Merci pour un bel apres-midi, Juju!

I promised Andrey and Julie a home-cooked meal that evening and they voted for burritos, so I got the ingredients on the way home and made them a tasty dinner, which we all enjoyed. It was fun to cook after many weeks of eating in restaurants.

The next morning, I made my way to Heathrow to catch my mid-day flight home. Whereas a few days earlier I had been ambivalent about my short visit to London, I left very happy with the past two days. Andrey and his girlfriend Julie were great hosts and I had fun spending time with them. Seeing my friend Julie was wonderful, and I also very much enjoyed discovering London, even if only for a short time. I really like this city, particularly the post-war brick architecture. I look forward to returning before another 25 years.

A right proper lunch

Enjoying the afternoon with Julie and Marguerite

Post-burritos, with Andrey and Julie

A famous bridge

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We Sail Tonight for Singapore

"Nobody here says 'last winter' or 'next spring'. There are no such seasons. Every day, the year round, is like New York in a heat wave; people estivate the year round, but are healthy." - "Behind the News in Singapore", National Geographic, July 1940

Singapore: "the only mall that has a seat at the UN" - my friend Sumit Gupta

For my last night in Thailand, I stayed in the town of Krabi (pop. 25,000). I was flying out of Krabi airport the next morning and would not have to get up so early to catch my flight. Also, my friends Ashley and Kevin, whom I'd met in Ton Sai, lived in Krabi and agreed to show me around a bit.

To get to Krabi from Ton Sai, it was necessary take a short boat ride to the town of Ao Nang and then catch a ride to Krabi itself. It was only in Ao Nang that I realized that I'd not been in any proper civilization (i.e. a place with proper roads, shops, etc.) for a month. That was a first for me, the city boy that I am.

A game of sepak takraw

In Krabi, I stayed at the same non-touristy hotel / residences as Ashley and Kevin (the two of them have been living in Krabi for the past couple of months while Kevin works remotely at the job he was doing back in the States). It was nice to be in a place that had A/C and wifi, but for cheaper than I was paying in Ton Sai. That afternoon, Kevin and I played some sepak takraw with some local Thais and then joined Ashley for a dinner in town. It was a good night and nice to spend time with these two quality people.

I landed in Singapore (pop. 5.4 million) early the next afternoon. I'd only booked my accomodations the night before and only managed find a bed in a 6-bed dorm at a decent-looking and not-too-expensive hostel in Chinatown. This wasn't ideal, but I wasn't interested in dropping $100 / night just to get my own room. Like Mumbai and Delhi, Singapore is expensive when it comes to accomodations, so cheap+decent options tend to get snapped up quickly.

Upon my arrival at Changi airport in Singapore, the first thing I did was to get a hamburger at Burger King. This is unlike me, but I'd not had a beef burger in three months and simply could not resist the ridiculous temptation. So I got the biggest burger available (which ran me $10!) and devoured it. Being Burger King, I regretted my decision immediately after and wished that I'd just waited til London or Toronto. Duh.

I got to my hostel (the too-cutely-named Pillows & Toast) at around 3:00 pm and settled into what would be my home for the next four nights (room #8, bed #2, top-bunk - nice). Over the course of the afternoon / evening, I quickly learned that Singapore is very expensive, very clean and orderly, and very hot and humid. More on these below.

That night I explored Chinatown a bit (it's fine; nothing spectacular), went for dinner at one of the many hawker food centres (i.e. a big food court with many cheap dining options), and strolled around the high-end and touristy Marina Bay area with one of my roommates.

Hawker food centre

Day 2, Saturday, I visited the National Museum of Singapore (excellent) and then made my way up to Little India for a long-needed fix of Indian food. I got it, but almost fell down when I got the $18 bill (for what would have cost me $4 in India). I hadn't paid that much for lunch all year! That night I ate at another food centre in Chinatown and called it an early night.

Day 3, I decided to take a break from tourism and go bouldering at a local rock climbing gym. It was good to get some exercise and to climb with the locals. After a few hours relaxing at the hostel (to the weary traveller, A/C and steady wifi make for great company), I dined on delicious Chinese dumplings and then, following my friend Darran's advice, went to the cinema to see The Grand Budapest Hotel (excellent!).

Day 4, I dragged myself up to the famous Botanical Gardens, but only lasted about 30 minutes because of the heat. News flash: strolling around gardens at mid-day in humid, 35 degree weather is miserable. I then went to the Arab quarter, Kampong Glam. There I had an excellent lunch (I saw some guy eating something delicious on the street and he told me where to go to get some) and enjoyed exploring the narrow lanes and groovy shops. This was definitely the hippest neighbourhood that I visited in Singapore. That night, I tried unsuccessfully to find a hidden dim sum restaurant recommended by the Guardian and instead had an unremarkable, overpriced dinner at the same restaurant I'd eaten at the night before. Blah.

Day 5 - April 1, the day of my departure - I opted for another bouldering sessison and later enjoyed my first good meal at a hawker stall (more dumplings!).

And there you have it: Singapore in five days. I found the whole experience underwhelming, though I attribute much of this to the oppressive heat and fatigue after four months of travel.

Some things I didn't like about Singapore:

• I found the city too sterile for my taste. Yes, I enjoy cities that are cleanand orderly are good, but in Singapore it's almost too much and there are too many rules. It feels like the city lacks grit and attitude that helps give other big cities their charm and appeal.
• I didn't realize how expensive Singapore is. Normally this wouldn't bother me so much, but it was extra shocking after having spent the past three months in India and Thailand. The only things I found that aren't significantly more costly are transit fares and the food at hawker stalls. Of course, it's the high tax rate on consumer goods, etc., that helps pay for the city's high-functioning infrastructure.
• The heat. I could never live in a place that is constantly hot and humid. As a result, air conditioning is ubiquitous, but it's also cranked up to the max so that you can actually get cold when indoors. This I don't understand.
• You can't buy gum anywhere! After a coffee, Tic Tacs ain't cutting it for me.

Things I liked:

• The MRT (the subway). The extensive network is super easy to navigate, modern, clean and efficient. In comparison, Toronto's subway system seems completely prehistoric.
• The architecture. Many of Singapore's buildings are very original and impressive, as is its skyline in general.
• Singapore is a very safe city.
• Because of the many ethnic groups living in the city, a huge array of food options are available.

Some photos:

The skyline around Marina Bay

Kids playing on an interactive art piece

Expensive beer (the Singapore dollar is valued at around 0.80 CAD)

Chinatown

It might be easier if they simply indicated what IS allowed

Kampong Glam, the Arab quarter

Kampong Glam

Pristine toilets in the MRT stations (note the plant!)

Herb & spice exhibit at the National Museum

The travel-size 'love toothpaste' I accidentally bought

 

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