We
had just enough time to locate the memorial brick for my father, Burton Doiron,
at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. I experienced just a small
portion of this historical attraction and I’m planning a full emersion for another
time. The rest of this quick stop was about eating and shopping.
Visiting
with family in both Tennessee and Alabama, coupled with drive time, had us
arriving in the French Quarter at nearly midnight. Even I was surprised by the huge
amount of foot traffic on a Sunday night. We took a quick stroll and got the
last table at Pat O’Brien’s by the flaming fountain. I’d never been there. It
was loud when we looked at the menu and I heard our order request. Suddenly our
lone beverage order arrived and I was still enjoying myself and waiting for our
seafood to come out. When the gang got up to leave, they all laughed at be,
because I never heard the server tell them the kitchen was closed and those
oysters were not on they’re way to me.
But
I got my favorite thing in the morning, to walk through the Quarter early when just
about the only people out are street cleaners and workers on their way to or
from hotels and restaurants. Then all of a sudden the place is filled with tuba
players and tourists in line for Café Du Monde.
I
got beignets and walked to St. Louis Cathedral, then went back to the
restaurant and got another round. We all got super soaked and waded through
puddles on the way back to the hotel, but it’s all worth it in New Orleans, and
that sugar high helps.
You
have to compromise on tastes and time on a family road trip, so that’ s how we
passed around bites of barbecued shrimp, gumbo and beans and rice from Deanie’s
Seafood in a parking lot. But again, all worth it.
I
don’t care how wet I get, I’m ready to go again.
Darragh
Doiron gets her love of New Orleans from her parents, Jeannette and Burton, who
honeymooned there at the Roosevelt Hotel. Contact Doiron at darraghcastillo@icloud.com
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