Monday 16th May 2022 The American Queen is said to be the largest river steamboat ever built. Completed in 1995, she is a six-storey recreation of a classic Mississippi riverboat. At 418 feet (127 m) long, 89 feet (27 m) wide and with 222 state rooms she can accommodate 436 guests and a crew of 160. Having settled in, there was little to do other than familiarise ourselves with the layout. Going up stream along the Mississippi River, one side of the boat is bathed in sunshine whilst the other is in shade. A champagne reception was provided on the fore deck as we were leaving New Orleans. Later, a slightly delayed safety drill covered the sound of the alarm signal and the crew checking we could put on our life jackets and stand outside our cabin but did not tell us where we should muster in case of an emergency. This was helpfully printed on our personalised room keys. On our deck the cabins were named after states and we had been allocated New jersey. Currently this is the only state which Robert has visited which Matilda hasn’t, as he is fond of pointing out. She hopes to remedy this later in the […]
Daily Archives: 20/05/2022
Sunday 15th and Monday 16th May 2022 Our first stop on Sunday morning was to be Coterie, the place where we were recommended to have breakfast. We both opted for Eggs Benedict and were not disappointed [see Dish of the day]. We were required to have proof of an independently verified negative Covid test before we would be allowed onto the American Queen for our Mississippi River paddle steamer cruise. The easiest option was to take advantage of the testing service organised by the cruise company which meant we had to present ourselves at the Hilton Riverside Hotel at any time between 14:00 and 18:30. We also needed to transfer our luggage as this would be our hotel for the night before we sailed [or paddled] but we would still have the morning to see some more of New Orleans. We had walked the length of Bourbon Street and Royal Street several times and Robert decided it would be a good idea to walk the side-streets methodically, so we did not miss anything out. These are some of the things we found. This pedestrianised street which was particularly lovely and uncharacteristically quiet. The buildings on Royal Street did seem to […]
Saturday 14th May 2022 Bourbon Street was considerably emptier and much quieter when we set off on our sightseeing walk the following morning. This makes it far less hazardous when you stop suddenly to gaze upwards and admire the beautiful buildings and balconies although we did have to avoid stepping on a few revellers who were still sleeping it off on the sidewalk. The delicate ironwork on galleries and balconies in the French Quarter is apparently a later addition from the mid 1800s and is derived from Spanish architecture, designed to mimic the delicacy of Spanish lace although the French fleur-de-lis is also a common motif. By contrast, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is housed in a typical early Creole cottage, believed to be the oldest structure continually used as a bar in the south of America. It was built in the 1720s and supposedly served as a front for slave trading, contraband and other illegal activities. There are no electric lights so this bar is especially atmospheric lit solely by candlelight. Robert planned a return visit after dark, just to be sure the descriptions were accurate. The French Market spans six blocks from Café du Monde downriver from Jackson Square […]