New Orleans ✨

Snagged cheap tickets right before Christmas and flew to New Orleans — soaking up everything that defines this unique city. The first taste that hits you? Sweet and salty — a flavorful combo that runs deep in its culture. From the history of "white gold" (sugar) to the bold, seasoned lifestyle of Cajun cooking… blandness just doesn’t belong here. 🍯🧂 I used to picture jazz as something formal — suits, ties, whiskey in hand. But here, I learned jazz is how locals live and play. You have legendary spots like Preservation Hall, temples of traditional New Orleans jazz 🎷, and then there are spontaneous street performances around every corner. Walking down Bourbon Street, I saw two young Black kids — one drumming on a plastic bucket, the other tapping a beat on iron railings — and a whole crowd stopping to feel the rhythm. 🥁✨ As for cocktails — I still can’t fully appreciate the classics. The Sazerac? More of a photo op for me 😅. What I truly enjoyed were the Hurricane and all kinds of fruity, tangy mojitos — now that’s my kind of drink! 🍹 A little sad we didn’t spot any alligators 🐊 — I really wanted to hold a baby gator! But we did see cute raccoons 🦝 and turtles sunbathing 🐢. What stuck with me the most? Every morning on my way to breakfast, Black gentlemen on the street would greet me with a warm “Good morning!” I took it as this city’s way of saying: strangers are welcome here. 🖤 #NewOrleans #AmericanTravel #TravelDiaries #JazzCity #SouthernVibes