1989 Honeymoon trip to New Orleans

When we got married, on October 7, 1989, we decided we wanted to take a honeymoon, even though we had pretty much spent the travel budget for the decade on the trip in the spring to Europe. Thanks to Mark's heavy travel schedule the previous couple of years, though, we had enough frequent flyer miles for a couple of domestic tickets.

What we didn't have was vacation time. We were getting married on Saturday, and would be travelling on Sunday morning, but needed to be back Wednesday night. So California was out. When we started to think about where to go, the choice was kind of obvious. We had found New Orleans to be an incredibly romantic city two years earlier, and we knew we could enjoy the city in only four days, so that was it. Our reservations were made in the Hotel La Salle, the same Canal Street hotel, just barely out of the French Quarter, that we had stayed in during the previous trip. Bathroom down the hall and all. We were ready.

The flight was great. Julie insisted on bringing her flowers, since she loves fresh flowers so, and the flight attendants responded by beaming at the bride and groom. They gave us a bottle of wine, and wine glasses with the United crest on them (which we still have) as well as playing cards.

We arrived in New Orleans and got a taxi to our hotel just fine, and we were ready for four days in the Big Easy.

Savvy ahead of time, we headed right for the French Market and the National Park Service tours. We signed up for a French Quarter and a Garden District tour. The French Quarter tour was great, even more detailed than before. And we got a chance on this trip to go to the historical museum in the Quarter. The "Streetcar named Desire" was locked up the day we were there, so we could not take pictures of it. We did make the cemetery tour, but Julie mixed up the instruction on the Garden District one, and we just took the streetcar out and back and looked at all the beautiful houses.

Again we ate like Kings. Cafe du Monde was our perennial breakfast spot, and we reprised Gallatoires. This time, though, we ate at the Jackson St. Cafe, where the Jambalaya and Gumbo were fantastic. And we did find a meal for the Central Grocery.

To celebrate the wedding, we really went into Pat O'Briens and got a Hurricane each one night, complete with souvenir glasses. And we waited in line to spend a night in Preservation Hall, sitting on the floor listening to the classic Jazz of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Julie also went through one of the townhouses on Jackson Square, which is preserved and toured as a museum. If you read the Anne Rice Books, you can imagine Lestat and Louis living there!

When Wednesday noon came, and it was time to start packing, it was hard to believe it was time to go home, but New Orleans now really felt like it had put its mark on our hearts; that it was truly "our city."