Oct 26 - A Free Day: What They Saw

We have a selection of photos from Bernard to give us an inkling of what they saw as they explored the French Quarter and beyond.

They met a fellow in the French Market who Bernard swears may be a distant relative. (Isn't everybody in NOLA likely to be a distant relative?)

Near the ferry on the Algiers side, the statue of Louis Armstrong.

Near the ferry, the Algiers courthouse. The 2012 election was coming up, so they saw a lot of political campaign posters.

From the Ferry 

An ocean-going vessel plying the Mississippi River

Its forerunner, the steamboat Natchez. 

St. Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo.

The Crescent City Connection toll bridge.

Canal Street led them into the French Quarter.

They saw typical Spanish-influenced architecture in the French Quarter.

It was just days before Hallowe'en, so Voodoo Fest was in full swing.

The statue of Gen. Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square
in front of the Cathedral.

Inside St. Louis Cathedral

Typical sights in the French Quarter.

A carriage.

The silver man.

NOPD's finest patrolling the French Quarter.

 Outside the Quarter

They explored Armstrong Park.

Sydney Bechet is well known in France, where he spent much of his musical career. He is a distant relative with connections to the Dobards via the Barbarins.

Outside the park, they spotted a private home decorated for the Hallowe'en holiday.

They meanderings took them to North Villere Street, where Bernard photographed the home where Lloyd was born. Aunt Louise Dobard Kaufman lives there today.

That evening they dined chez Bennett and enjoyed some fresh Louisiana shrimp.

Chez Bennett

Lloyd and Romain look at an historic map of
Saone et Loire, the department in which
are located the ancestral villages
of la famille Daubard.

While they were here, they admired my miniature dollhouse, Marie Laveau's cottage. We had a difficult time trying to explain who Marie Laveau was.

A free woman of color and wife of a prominent New Orleans
physician comes to call on Marie Laveau.

Marie Laveau accompanied the local priest as he visited the ill at home in in prison. Also respected as the Queen of Voodoo, she managed to blend the spirituality of both forms of belief. 

It was also difficult to explain the Causeway and its importance. When Lloyd took them home after supper, I hopped on the computer. With the help of Wikipedia and Google Translate, I was able to print information for them. These printouts became an integral part of our daily excursions.