Last day in New Orleans

Another day in New Orleans and the people we meet continue to impress us with their kindness and hospitality. We took a streetcar to the Garden District this morning where we spent some time wandering around Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, one of the oldest in the city. In Lafayette as in all of New Orleans, the dead are laid to rest above ground in tombs due to the water table being so high. Leaving the cemetery, we wandered towards the Garden District. We hadn’t walked more than a couple of blocks when a kind gentleman riding a bicycle stopped to give us a quick lesson on the area (Did we know that Benjamin Button was filmed in the house across the road? Sandra Bullock had only just recently bought the house next door. Nicholas Cage used to live around the corner – until his house was repossessed….). Moments later, another older gentleman who was walking down the street stopped and gave us another tutorial on the history of the houses in the area. Just as we were turning to walk to St. Charles to catch another streetcar back in to the center of town, a woman from across the road hollered over to Aidan, Ben and myself “Y’all look a little weary. Would you like to come see the garden?” She stood next to an impressive 2 story house with beautiful lace ironwork on the double balconies. We soon learned the woman’s name ‘Bee Bell’ as she took us on a tour of the home she once grew up in. The house was built in 1850 for Michael Musson (who just happens to be the uncle of Edgar Degas) and is still inhabited by Mrs. Rubie Bell, Bee’s mother. At first when asked, we couldn’t believe our luck and as we took in the stables, back garden and richly decorated home, we couldn’t believe our eyes. The house was grandiose, the furniture, draperies and ornaments sumptuous yet this kind woman who had been trained from a very young age to give back to others (including the odd house tour which her parents so loved to give) was kind and unassuming, giving us the history of the house and the art work as well as the legacy of her father Bryan Bell, businessman (he had 28 limited partnerships in real estate, oil and gas) and clearly, philanthropist, who had only recently passed away last year. Before we left, Mrs. Bell gave each of the children a doubloon (gold coins which were originally minted in Spain. Golden Doubloons are thrown out at the parades during Mardi Gras each year), as well as a lovely write up about her husband. Back in the center of the city, stopped for a po’ boy at Johnny’s (James highly recommends the muffaletta) before heading off on a swamp tour just outside the city. The tour guide showed us lots of gators including a 15-footer he called “Whoppo”. He also told us about the other plants, trees and wildlife that grow and live in the swamps and bayous in this part of Louisiana. Tomorrow, we’re planning on a 7:30 a.m. start for Galveston. James and I have really been enjoying all the family time but, you know what they say, 'too much of a good thing....' so, we're making a stop at Avery Island, LA to visit the McIlhenny Tabasco Company. That ought to spice things up a bit!