NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans is a freaky place, in pretty much every sense of the word. The town itself feels spooky with all the old French-looking buildings. But just going about the town, there are a highly disproportionate number of scary looking people. If you wondered were all the Goths and freaks go after high school, they go to New Orleans. And then you’ve got people like this on the street corner.

Bourbon street is like none other. The active part of it stretches about 10 blocks or so and appears to be permanently blocked off – at least at night. These ten blocks are filled with bars and clubs, many of which feature live bands, and each of which is advertised with neon lights. People walk up and down the street drinking, wearing beaded necklaces, acting crazy. The scene was about how I imagined Mardi Gras to be – and I was there on a Wednesday in December. I went back again on Thursday after getting back from the temple just to see if there was some special thing going on Wednesday, but it was the same. Heck of a contrast to the temple.

You can’t tell from this picture, but with the heavy fog, the city in the background had a real Gotham City look. This whole place is like a real life comic book town.

You’ve got to have a heck of street for a voodoo shop to be the most family friendly thing on the street. You’re not allowed to take pictures inside but I caught one passing by.

But there’s a pirate store too.

The back of the St. Louis Cathedral at night. Only in comic books and New Orleans.

I thought this was pretty cool, up until I actually came right up to it, I was sure it was a real life statue outside the building. It’s a painting.

Even the Hard Rock Café was kind of freaky. You’ve got stuff like this.

And in the front doorway.

I wanted to check out the neighborhoods hit hardest by the hurricanes, and they were kind of scary too, for different reasons. Some neighborhoods were nearly ghost towns. Lots of still abandoned houses.

And lots of just completely demolished lots which nothing remaining but uncut grass.

Another weird part was that, in the middle of the day, there were tons of people just sitting on their front porch. Some were talking to others, many were just sitting. It was as if they were all waiting for something.

It would appear that some people are taking the sign seriously though.

In stark contrast, I stopped by some of the old plantations on my way out.

The oak tree corridor was pretty cool. It’s hard to capture the feel of this lane on camera.

As if New Orleans actually needed anything else to make it spooky, it apparently has a history of being haunted. There are all sorts of ghost tours, vampire tours, voodoo tours and cemetery tours that you can do all night. I didn’t do any of them, but if I’m ever here again I think it’d be fun. There are also lots of swamp tours, because the city is pretty much surrounded by swamps. Next time.