I got to the hotel, checked in and put my stuff in the room.
Among the event people suggested me there was a jazz night on Thursdays and I wouldn’t miss it.
I set off for it. The hotel was close to the French Quarter, the historic centre of New Orleans. I have to say initially I was a bit worried: it was 10 pm, some streets were dark and all the warnings were influencing me, and so were the newspaper full of news about shootings.
Actually, the worst thing I went through was a guy telling me something about my shoes. It was not going to be the only time: the day after another guy told me “I know where you got your shoes”. I didn’t understand and kept on walking.
I headed for Bourbon Street, famous for the bars and the beads people throw from the balconies. This beads thing comes from the Mardi Gras, when people toss them from the floats to those in the street. Nowadays people toss beads every night on Bourbon St., where guys rent balconies and buy dozens of necklaces and throw them to girls who shows their charms. Sometimes the parts are reversed, the main thing is to collect beads, drink and make a racket on Bourbon St.
At the end of the street I took a cab and went in the Bywater, to the Vaughan’s Lounge. It looked like a bad place. I mean, if you see it you don’t really see the point of paying the 10$ cover and get in. The inside isn’t that better: it’s a dirty bar, ruined walls and a few tables. It’s all about jazz! What makes it special is the music, the three black musicians and the guy who plays the trumpet and makes the crowd dance. And you can not be really still, at least you have to tap your fingers on the bottle of beer or a foot on the floor.
There is a jukebox with CDs and a old cigarettes dispenser, with the handle you have to pull to make the pack fall down.
And there was a Times Picayune on the floor, to remind, just in case you needed it, we are in New Orleans, where the jazz was born.
