Memories of New Orleans

                                                        Memories of New Orleans

 

                                                                               By Lee Hyon-soo

 

There is a saying that old men live in memories. A man in his twilight years, I indulge in reminiscences of the travels that I took in the past.

 

I have travelled to the United States many times on business or for pleasure. Of all the U.S. cities I set foot in, I was most fascinated by the sights, sounds and tastes of New Orleans.

 

New Orleans is probably the most unique city in the United States. Founded in 1718 by French colonists as “La Nouvelle-Orleans,” the city was named after the Duke of Orleans who reigned as Regent for Louis XV of France at the time.  

 

Situated at the mouth of the Mississippi River, New Orleans was once a pawn in the struggles of Europeans for the control of North America. From the outset it remained as a French colony except for a short period of time during which it was under Spanish rule. But New Orleans was handed over to the United States when Thomas Jefferson purchased it from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803. With this purchase, the United States doubled in size because Napoleon threw the entire Louisiana Territory into the bargain.

         

The early inhabitants of New Orleans were a lively mixture of people with diverse cultural backgrounds — French, Spanish and African, among others. Blending their heritages, they all contributed to the character of New Orleans. Even today their influences are manifest throughout the city.

         

New Orleans strikes you as a city of contrasts — antiquity and modernity. It has emerged as a modern metropolis boasting new skyscrapers, while at the same time preserving the legacy of its colorful past.

 

While I liked New Orleans as a whole, I was especially attracted to the section of the city called Vieux Carre or the French Quarter. It is indeed a sightseer's delight.  The French Quarter was designed along the lines of a typical 18th century French village, and its buildings betray French and Spanish influences — many with exquisite iron-cast galleries.

         

While in New Orleans, I spent most of my time in the French Quarter, visiting many points of interest or just walking up and down the streets. The whole area swarmed not only with tourists but also with musicians and other street performers who lived off the tourism dollar. Many bars and restaurants remained open throughout the night and a festive mood overflowed on the streets. I did my share of barhopping on world-famous Bourbon Street where bars were concentrated. I also devoured many local delicacies — Cajun and Creole dishes for which New Orleans is famous.

         

New Orleans is the birthplace of Dixieland jazz and wherever I went in the French Quarter, I heard jazz playing. This art form was born in New Orleans in the early 20th century pre-World War I, deriving from Black blues and work songs, and white dance tunes and hymns. With improvisation at its heart, jazz is freshly invented with every performance, and that accounts for much of its vitality. New Orleans produced Louis Armstrong, jazz's definitive ambassador to the world.

         

Limited as my time was, I could not leave New Orleans without seeing the Mississippi, which was immortalized in my mind when I read Mark Twain’s great novels in my youth. Cruising up and down the Mississippi aboard an old-fashioned sternwheel-driven steamboat, I could not help envisioning Huckleberry Finn who, together with runaway slave Jim, journeyed on a raft down this river, tumbling in and out of wild experiences.

         

The motto of New Orleans is "Laissez les bon temps rouler" (let the good times roll) and I can say unequivocally that the city did not let me down.

 

The writer (tomhslee43@gmail.com) is a freelance columnist and the author of “Tales of A Korean Globetrotter.”

 

Note:  This article appeared in the August 4, 2022 issue of The Korea Times.