Visiting New Orleans

By Janet Quinn

As I blogged last time, I was on my way to New Orleans to EPICon. It is the one conference I attend every year and I travel with Linda McLaughlin aka Lindi Lamont. It is a small conference and a great deal of fun because it is more intimate than some conferences.

The fact that it was in New Orleans was a bonus this year. I had never been to New Orleans and was excited about visiting. We didn’t manage to see everything we had planned on, but we did see lots.

The French Quarter was right across from our hotel. We walked all over the French Quarter by the time we were through. We did take taxis part way in and part way home at times. I don’t walk so very well and we were worn out.

The French Quarter was not damaged by Katrina being on the highest ground. Some of the buildings have been there forever and have really small doors. A couple of times I had to fold up my walker to get it through the door. The shops are quaint and I had a great time shopping.

We went on a plantation tour. We went to Oak Alley first which was an American plantation. It has the most beautiful oaks out front. I took my cane that day since my walker wouldn’t fit in the van. It was the first historical site I have ever toured that told me I could sit on the antique furniture. I did while I listened to our guide. Standing is not my best thing. Then she said that if we couldn’t make it upstairs, we could sit down stairs and read a book. Like that was going to happen. I did scare one of the guides when I was coming down the stairs. She looked like she was imagining me falling.

Then we went to the Laura plantation which was a Creole plantation. It was painted bright yellow as compared to white as most American plantation houses were. The Creole liked bright colors. Creole plantations were working plantations and they never let anyone straight into the living area. They were taken into the bedroom/office and business was conducted first. After the business was taken care of, then the visitor was invited into the parlor for refreshments and to talk. They had to eventually stop this tradition because the Americans thought it barbaric to invited people into the bedroom.

This was the first historical site that allowed pictures to be taken on the inside, so I did. That was fun.

The tours of both plantations started at the gift shop, of course. The main house at Oak Alley was up a really long driveway and I was the last one to make it to the house. I managed to get a ride back on a golf cart. The Laura plantation house was closer, but the slave houses were way out back. I was the last one back and barely made it to a bench to sit.

We walked so much, I almost couldn’t get out of bed on Friday to go to the conference. By the time we got home, I was tired and it took me a couple of weeks to recover. My back is still complaining about all the walking.

It was the best trip I have ever gone on. I had so much fun, even though I nearly froze to death. I even bought a coat for the trip and wore it all the time.

I can hardly wait until next year. It is going to be by Williamsburg. I just love visiting historical sites. I already wrote two books where the characters went to New Orleans. I don’t know how or why I would use Williamsburg, but it will be so much fun anyway.