New Orleans, USA
See pictures here

The following nights I stayed at the India House Hostel further up Canal St. The location wasn't as convenient, and there was a sign on the front door urging women not to go out alone at night (which I think was over dramatic), but the bus stopped every 10 minutes outside the hostel, and took you directly to Bourbon St, anywhere along the West side of the French Quarter. The hostel had some good qualities, and some bad qualities. The good side was that it was interestingly decorated (the Indian theme could be seem painted on all the walls in the form of colorful Hundu scenes), their beds were comfortable, in the summer they open their pool, and they served up the best cajun breakfast you could imagine for super cheap ($2/small, $4/large). Unfortunately, the bad qualities far surpased the good. This is a dirty hostel, it's cold at night during the winter, and the people I met weren't the greatest hostelers. Don't even think of enjoying your bathroom visits there. The dorm rooms probably don't get cleaned, and if they do, the guests are so dirty anyway, that the foot and body odor can't be avoided. Funky hostels are OK - even more charming tahn sterile ones - but the showers are funky, that's not a good thing. They only have 2 bathrooms (which funny enough were rarely in use...), and in both bathrooms, the showers appeared to have been built from scratch. Plan on only coming out moderately cleaner than you went in, and ignore the slime on your feet and elbows.

To sum it up: Check in - sleep - get the great breakfast - and bolt!

If you like Jazz, this is your city! Drop into any of the jazz bars at night to see some talented musicians blow on their sax, and sing their heads off.

The other thing I'd recommend can be found all over the city - grave yards. The grave yards in New Orleans are famous for their above-ground burrials, and ties to voodoo. If it's in your budget pay for a tour of the most famous graveyards, but if not, a stroll through any grave yard will still be interesting.

My first peice of advice is to get the big $4 breakfast if you're staying at the India House (even if you're not hungery - it's amazing!), and then find your Po-Boy joint, and I know it sound unhealthy, but go drinking at night and get a slice at one of the many (though slightly expensive at $3/slice) pizza shops around.

Grocery stores are less common than small general stores, so if you want to do the picknick thing, don't walk by all the corner stores looking for the big grocer - there isn't one within walking distance.

For that perfect night spot, go to the locals-only Spotted Cat on the other side of Esplanade St from the French quarter. It's the real deal folks - 3 jazz groups per night in a perfect atmosphere where you won't see any Bud-Lite signs, and that doesn't try too hard. (I owe this insight to the locals Tom and Paula, that I met at Mardi-Gras. Thanks guys!)

The local bar in the French Quarter that's been there forever is called Molley's. The Irish bar is sure to please, and scare away tourists looking to the "perfect local Cajun bar", so you'll be surrounded by friendly locals.

Once you're in town, you're all set. Just buy at 24-hr pass for $5. THEN - DON'T scratch off the day on the back side. Show the front side every time you board. This word for me for 2 days before it was noticed - at which point I scratched that day, and it became lagitamitally valid for the next 24-hrs. Otherwise expect to pay $2 per ride, and pay again if you want to go to the end of tthe line, and go back (as you no-doubt will on the St Charles street Trolley).

Within the French quarter there is no transportation, but nor is it needed - it's only a mile wide and 3/4 miles tall. You'll be able to walk it easily.

As mentioned above, the taxi cost $10 which the Swedes were shocked at, but paid anyway. The hotel was no less gratifying, but it the only choice at that point, so I dropped my stuff off in my smelly room, and headed out for the mandatory Bourbon St sightseeing.

... and boy were there sights to see. If you don't know what Bourbon St is famous for, watch the commercials during MTV spring break. The now-famous "Girls Gone Wild" video series has burned its way into the pop culture of generation-x as the dirty peak into Bourbon St nightlife. Though a lot more up-close than you're likely to see on Bourbon St yourself, the producers of Girls Gone Wild are merely capturing the reality of mixing drunk college kids with alcohol, and Mardi Gras. After cruising the street, I picked the roudiest looking bar, called Oasis, and went it.

Now, an important thing to know if you're about to have a real Bourbon St experience is (aside from knowing it's nothing like the rest of New Orleans), never pay for a drink unless it's 3 for 1. Welcome to Bourbon St! Needless to say, this is a budget travellers dream, so I dove right in. The Oasis is a stage bar, so they have MC's hold contests (always including female nudity), and generally have fun with the audience. What I saw that night on the stage ranged from drinking games to couples contests, and built up to the "homemade bikini contest," the winner of which won with a Duct tape bikini (which came off off course).

The next few days I spent exploring the French quarter, and other neighborhoods, as well as Loyola and Utica Universities. Based on my wanderings I recommend the places listed above in the "tourist areas to see" section. You can find out why any of those are recommended in a guide book, but I would not recommend these places:

Garden District - This is not a garden, nor will you find any parks, or even many nice yards. It is a residential neighborhood that is plain, and even in need of some minor repair. The reason it is called the Garden District, as I understand, is because it was once the largest plantaion in New Orleans. If you don't mind imagining (though I don't know how you're supposed to with such ordinary residential surroundings) the plantation, or want to take a guided tour, than it might be worth it, but otherwise I recommend you miss this tourist sight.

Mississippi - OK, don't miss it entirely. Take a look if you want to be able to say you've seen it. But don't get too excited - it's a muddy medium-sized river that has a lot of undustrialised docks along side.

Trolley along side Mississippi - First off, this is a very short route, so you're better off walking. Second, what are you looking at? - The Mississippi! Which i already mentioned is a muddy eye-sore.

However, there are a few things that may or may not be in your guidebook, that you've gotta see:

St Charles Street Trolley - This is such a cool old trolley car. See the picutes I took. Your day pass for the bus system works here too, so get on and off as often as you like. Sit up[ by the driver so you can see how he drives it - it's really weird!

East of Esplanade St - This area has a name, but it could just as well be Greenwich Village. Small, but cool, and completely void of tourists. I found myself there during the daytime, and my interest was perked by the local nature of the funky coffee shops, and used clothing stores, but it wasn't until I went with Tom and Paula at night that I got a full taste of the vibrant young scene here. The Spotted Cat was great, but we passed at least 5 other cool-looking night spots in the 2 blocks past Eslpanade St. I don't think you'll have seen the real modern-day New Orleans night life until you've visited.

After spending a few days in New Orleans I had developed a good sense of the city, and was ready for my first real Mardi Gras parade! I asked Pete, who cooks the breakfast at the hostel every morning, where the locals go for the parade. He told me all the locals go to Molley's and this was an important parade because it's the only one that still goes through the French Quarter. Sure enough, I looked at my parade map, and the other parades don't come anywhere near the historic. So I was excited to be there for the last authentic parade as it pushed and shoved its way through the narrow streets of the French Quarter.

Ther parade started at 7PM and the word was that it got busy and crowded early, so everyone was talking about getting there at 5 or 6. Well Pete had also told me to relax, because the parade starts way down the street, and locals don't show up at Molley's until at least 6, if not 7 or 8. So with that information I made my way down to Molley's at 6:30, and secured a great spot by both a window, and the end of the bar.

(more to come...)