I first fell in love with Jackson Square on an incredibly
100 degree plus day in June. As my
husband and I walked into the Square, I was amazed to see that there were
throngs of tourists; and there were families… all smiling, laughing and seemingly
oblivious to the heat!
This was their family
vacation, and Jackson Square was at the hub of it all. A local brass band in front of the St. Louis Cathedral
boomed out tunes with a beat that no one could ignore. (You gotta love what these local musicians
can do with a tuba!) A street performer,
covered with metallic spray paint, enthralled the kids as he “transformed” from
a construction worker into a race car.
And Art was everywhere! Hundreds
of paintings were hung from the Square’s magnificent iron fence. And the
artists, just as colorful as the artwork, were all on hand to engage in
conversation.
Carriages drawn by very good looking mules (in my estimation)
were doing a brisk business, hauling everyone through the French Quarter; their
drivers giving the unbelievably exciting history of New Orleans. There is always something new to learn on
these tours, because the history of this city is so dense and so rich. Tales of pirates, yellow fever, ghosts, and military
battles will leave one breathless. The
beginnings of New Orleans were not easy!
It was at this moment that I realized I was in the living,
breathing heart of the French Quarter.
The beautiful architecture (built over the centuries by the French, Spanish,
and even an enterprising 19th Century woman) is still in use as
shops, museums and restaurants. These
buildings surround the square in a warm and intimate way, gently blurring the
line between the past and the present, gently weaving that old New Orleans’
spell that makes us want to return again and again.
To see more of my New Orleans art, visit: www.neworleans-art.net
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