Our final destination on our coastal vacation was New Orleans, where our suite of rooms awaited our arrival in the French Quarters.

During weekdays, Bourbon Street was empty. Joni Maschek Photos

The suite had a charming eighteenth century ­decor with no outside windows, with all suites around an atrium.

Our ceiling was adorned with a multitude of crystal chandeliers and walls decorated with gold gilded framed eighteenth century vintage art in all rooms ­except the kitchen and bathrooms.

The 20’ ceilings took us some time to get used to, but we found our quarters so comfortable that at the end of our vacation we hated to leave.

A garage was a safe place for our van and we left it there without moving it for our entire stay in New Orleans. We were in walking distance of most all attractions, but used the trolley cars for longer trips.

New Orleans never rolls up the sidewalks as there is someplace to go day and night. We missed the Sugar Bowl and the festivities of Mardi Gras, but experienced ­plenty of street jazz bands, and colorful celebrations.

The Riverwalk was a block from our door and one could spend an entire day there and still not take in all of the activities. The great Mississippi River at the edge of the French Quarters flows into the Gulf of Mexico. While having lunch in one of the many elevated restaurants, we could watch the colorful tug boats escorting the barges into the harbor; a very busy harbor, as New Orleans is at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Riverwalk is home to many of New Orleans’ unique sights, tastes, and sounds. Savor the sweet taste of beigents, and hear the local jazz beat. It was built in 1984 as part of the World’s Fair.

It is difficult to sound like a ­local, even if you are French. Some speak Cajun -- those who fled Canada in the 1700s and settled in the ­bayous. The elite of New Orleans is the French and the Spanish families who originally settled there before the English immigrants arrived.

The unofficial motto of New Orleans is ‘Laissez les bons temps rouler’ (Let the good times roll). Our experience at a ‘Fais do-do,” a Cajun street dance that lasts all night, was most entertaining.

We needed some more food for our kitchen in our condo and were told to go to Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas Street, as downtown stores were triple in price. To remember this street was a true test for us. Having my 13-year-old granddaughter Ciera along while I drove, we soon found our way down Tchoupitoulas (pronounced chop-a-TOO-liss by the natives), and there was another one of those super Wal-Mart stores.

Much of our time was spent at “Vieux Carre” (VOO=cah-RAY), The Old Square, or the French Quarters. The French Quarters were saved from Katrina. The downtown area has been restored, as if it never happened; one can see few remnants of the storm. Withthe 2008 hurriance season here, the Army Corp. of Engineers tells people that the levees are stronger than ever.

Talking to natives on the trolley car, they say that the poor people are the ones still in need of homes. The day I spoke with them the FEMA trailers were being moved with many having no place to go.

Going outside of the French Quarters, and the plush living areas to the area where the poor working class lives is so different -- like two different worlds.

Many live on the water, and ­levees, and fish for a living, with some fishing from their front porches. Crawfish is plentiful with lots of panfish catches.

Fish frys take place in the great outdoors, with pan fried fish and roasted oysters, Creole cooking, even with the fish. Lots of singing and fishing going on here. Many lost their homes in the bayou, but some have rebuilt.

We left behind cobblestone streets, lacy wrought iron, bayous, swamps, marshlands, mansions, plantations, biting bass, blackened redfish, gumbo, crawfish, hush puppies, cajuns and creole cooking and hit Hwy. 10 back to Florida.

At the bait shops this week, I heard a lot about rain, rain, and more rain. The good news one ­angler states is that he can go fishing in the rain and catches fish. Those complainers about the rain say that it is too wet; they can’t take their boat out, and the fish won’t bite.

Barb-wire was still in the conversations; some was strung again, but cut again -- looks like neither side will give.

Grassy flats are yielding trout, with shoreline anglers ­landing sheepshead and flounder. The ­water has been so warm all ­species of fish have stayed in our waterways. Cobia have enjoyed the warm water and making a fighting catch for some anglers.

Redfish are not only at Simmons Park, but are on the run in the ­rivers, both Alafia and Little Manatee. Tripletail have been caugh ti nthe ship channels.

Mangrove snapper are skipping along in the Little Manatee River and hooked by some anglers. Plenty of ‘catch-and-release snook’ happenings have been taken place in the rivers.

Watch the weather -- we are the lightning captial of the world -- don’t fish if you hear thunder.

- Aleta Jonie Maschek is a ­member of Florida Outdoor Press­.

© Copyright 2008 by The Observer News Publications and M&M Printing Company, Inc.

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