Pseudo Honeymoon

Since our wedding was in Bermuda, we spent the entire week with our friends and family. We loved having everyone with us to celebrate, but we never had any real alone time. So,10 of His childhood friends chipped in and bought us a "honeymoon" to New Orleans. We got the works. We had a limo pick us up from the airport and he drove us to the W Hotel where we were to spend the weekend. We spent the first night in the room that was booked for us, but then we got upgraded to a suite on the 23rd (top) floor for the remaining two nights. We also each received an 80 minute massage at the spa in the Loews Hotel. The highpoint for Him was the pair of tickets to the Saints vs. Bengals game held at the Superdome. Even though I only understand a smidgen of what goes on on the field, it was a fun experience!

We spent a lot of the weekend walking around the French Quarter. We also risked our sanity a couple nights and worked our way up and down Bourbon Street. It was insane. I can't even imagine what it's like there during Mardi Gras. I think I've been flashed enough by random big boobied girls to last me a lifetime. One great upshot of New Orleans is that drinking on the streets is legal. That made for a fun time on Bourbon! It was pretty entertaining to see people zigzagging their way down the streets during the day. I think we saw at least a couple middle-aged guys half in the tank by the time brunch came around. Sad but very amusing to see.

The best part of the trip was the food. It is amazing down there. He and I couldn't stop raving about everything we ate. We had jambalaya, crawfish, red beans and rice, poboys, muffalettas, beignets, and so much more that I can't even remember right now. Every single piece of food was like a bite of heaven. Of course, this is probably because everything was drenched in full-fat butter, but that's the best part, isn't it?

As for the state of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the downtown area has bounced back pretty well. We were told by locals not to venture outside of the immediate downtown area for safety reasons so we didn't see the ravaged parts of the city. However, downtown looks great. The only signs of a disaster having happened, were the boarded-up restaurants here and there. Being from Boston, we're so used to seeing construction being done all over the place, that the work being done in New Orleans didn't seem odd at all. I had to remind myself that the area had been ravaged by a fatal storm. Tourism seems to be thriving there and morale of the locals is high.

Our vacation ended too soon and we were both very sad to have to leave such a beautiful city. I would love to go back again in the future, but I don't know when that will be. I think He wants to have the guys' next bachelor party down there though=/ I guess Bourbon Street brings out the crazy in everyone.