Motown to Jazz

 December in Detroit 

Ha Ha - I wrote the title of this blog on January 11th probably when  I was full of New Year's resolution and determined to keep up with my online diary - I hang my head in shame! Here we are coming to the end of March - I have excuses all valid but I cant travel and spend time writing at the same time.

Our trip to the US was a grat success and we enjoyed every minute. Our plans changed when Nick took one look at the traffic in Los Angeles and abruptly decided driving was not an option for him so we arrived in Detroit on 23 December knowing only that we had a hotel booked in New Orleans in January and as Christmas was looming we focused our energy else where. We truly enjoyed our family time in Detroit and also the excurtions we had which were a bit limilted because of snow on the ground affecting mobility but downtown Motown was wonderful - full of festive people all wrapped up and rosy cheeked families skating on a man made rink under the Chrsitmas tree with a warm lounge serving hot chocolate and other warming drinks for spectators. We toured the old train station which is newly rennovated and listenened to jazz and played 'UNO' the grandchildres favourite game when Mr Nick is around as they love to witmess his losing tantrums! We also went to a lakeside brewery - clad in wood and looking like something from the series Virgin River and the customary Costco shopping visit and the Skechers outlet - simple tastes - and our already full suitcases were even fuller as we set of the New Orleans.

January in New Orleans

It's difficult to describe New Orleans - a Euopean city in the centre of America on the banks of the mighty Mississippi river with a diverse population and jazz playing morning, noon and night sort of sums it up. A lot of craziness and I suspect a place where people go to be someone else - a carefree, creative person they busy inside them. In South Africa we used to have an arts festival every year in Grahamstown where you would bump into people you knew but didn't - lawyers in velevet cloaks, teachers in crazy knitted hats and neighbours in colourful garb - never seen on thier washing lines. We stayed in the historic French Quarter in an amazing hotel The Monte Leone  https://www.hotelmonteleone.com/ in Royal Street, which had a revolving Carousel Bar which opened at 10am and was full by 10.05 until closing time in the early hours! We sat on it one day and chatted to visitors who got louder and louder as the cocktails went down. Gals on bacherlorette weekends, friends on a reunion, a convention of health care workers, an anniversary couple reliving thier honeymood and telling us it was even crazier twenty years ago but in a classier way. There was live jazz in the hotel every lunch and evening and it was a constant hive of activity. We toured the city on a horse and cart, an open top bus, a trolleycar and by foot. We heard stories of famous celebreties that own property there - Nicholas Cage and Sandra Bullock - to name two. We learned of the history and the tragedy of hurricaines and floods and we admired the old French/American style architecture of Creole Cottages, American Townhouses, Raised Centre Hall Cottages and the early Spanish influence of internal courtyards, fountains and wrought iron balconies which made a fascinating backdrop to all day Jazz. 

Jazz suposedly started in Bourbon Street in the 1930s and the city has nurtured this genre ever since - you walk down Bourbon and there is jazz belting from every dooway together with dubious smoke odours and a rowdy appreciation for life. Like nowhere else sums it up! We were warned not to go there in the evening as fights can break out, so we chose an afternoon set at Fritzels tiny jazz venue which is free if you order a drink for every set you stay for - we did two and witnessed the resident band joined by friends who played improvised sets - it was amazing and I think as authentic as it gets. The nightly jazz in the hotel was pretty good too from traditional to modern and always the band had an additional member - a bucket that was passed around for tips which was how Preservation Hall started all those years ago - bands playing for tips.

On our last day we went on a river boat and enjoyed a relaxing cruise up the Mississippi and were reminded of a time when days were slower, the cocktails sipped slowly and laziness was approved of but there was a jazz band aboard and some energetic passengers danced the Charleston! Walking back to the hotel in the middle of the road we stopped in our tracks by a piano on wheels being played expertly, a singer with a megaphone, a banjo, saxaphone, trumpet and mobile drum kit - an impromptu jazz session (the group is called Dirty Rotten Vipers and member change regularly) a small crowd gathered - foot tapping, swaying, shouting appreciation - what an experience!

New Orleans was a once in a lifetime adventure - we left as Mardi Gras season was starting and already the streets were getting ready for the colourful parade and decked in green, purple, black and yellow and colourful costumes as rehearsals staryed. The party of the year was about to start but we slipped away and headed for the dessert - next stop Arizona!