Nawlins

It is 8.32am Friday morning here and Saturday night in Australia. I am sitting in the cafe at my hotel (Princes Conti in the French Quarter). I got my first decent sleep since leaving Australia, more than 4 hours that is. Might have had something do do with my arriving back at the hotel at 1.30am after a long day working in Layafette, 3 hours north of Nawlins. Yesterday's data collection, another amazing day...I will get to that later. My impressions of New Orleans...pronounced Nawlins. Louisiana is everything I imagined and more. I mixture of hot, steamy, jazz music, cigarette smoke (yes heaps of people smoke!) southern hospitality, old french architecture, and a diverse population all held tenuously together by an undertone of sleeze and and the suggestion that secret glances on street corners suggest life here has secrets not for visitors. But don't let that put you off. By day it is all grits, tasso gravy, cornbread and southern greens (that is what I have ordered for breakfast. The only thing I recognized on the menu was the eggs!). I managed to type between mouthfuls and it is amazingly good. The generous amount of red and green stuff in the cornbread is not capsicum it is CHILLI. By night the hustlers are out in the French Quarter and its girlie bars and huge foam take away cups of frozen daquiri, the mixture o Nawlins has enchanted me and if you have not already guessed and am so in love with the South. Maybe I can lost in the heady and soulful sleeze. Such a contrast from the inherent gregariousness and seeming innocence of Texas, where whether true or intended they live up to the stereotypical country bumpkin!

It makes you questions, how does a society develop a sense of identity and culture? Despite being ajoining states, Texas and Louisiana might as well be Jupiter and Mars. Yet, both have made me feel a connection, like I belong. But my first true love will always be Nawlins. My first impressions were an experience of extremes, as if to remind me to take nothing for granted. Nawlins wants you to remember, just you think you have a handle on this place, suddenly you realise you know nothing. I arrived and went into the Bombay club here at the hotel. First impressions, small, dark, velvet curtains, french influenced, 1920's, martinis, bar in the middle of the room with leather stools around, a loaded tiered bar with ever liquor imaginable (a monkey gland martini for me), booths for dining, stiff white table cloths, leather, a 3 piece Jazz trio and an old Marilyn Munroe movie playing on loop in the background...you get the picture. I am served by a waiter in black with a red tie and waist apron..I have Louisiana Crab Cakes...another 4 days here, will it be enough, I think not...

The coffee is served by Bobbi and she promises it will have a kick. It's like the rest of Nawlins it is smooth, creamy and served with the suggestion of being more than it seems. If I am still awake tomorrow it will have lived up to its reputation. This place oozes, art, diversity of people, some of it positive, some of it a uncomfortable reflection of the haves and have nots. Other places try to hide it, here it is there on every street corner. Despite this people seem happy, there is great food and amazing music, Summertime is playing and its breakfast, I think I am in heaven.