New Orleans, French Quarter, USA
Airing Date: Jul 5th, 2004
New Orleans in Louisiana was home to the pirate Jean Lafitte. Part pirate, part American hero, Jean helped fight the British in the battle of New Orleans. He was also a wooer of women, swashbuckler extraordinaire and smuggler of goods to everyday people.
Jean Lafitte used the bayous, or creeks, around New Orleans to smuggle his goods from the Gulf of Mexico up to the city. He would raid Spanish, British and French ships (even though he was French!) for everything from gold to clothes, including all the latest fashions from Europe. He would then bring them to the shops in New Orleans and sell them.
To get the goods to New Orleans, Jean had to deal with the alligators infesting the waters. Today it's much easier - you can hop on board the Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour to get a good look at them lurking in the shallows. If you're up to it, you can even handle a baby 'gator.
The French Quarter is where Lafitte and his fellow pirates sold their stolen goods. A favourite spot for many tourists is Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop on the corner of Bourbon and St Phillip streets.
Tradition has it that the Lafitte brothers, Jean and Pierre, operated this legitimate blacksmith shop as a front for their privateering enterprises. It's now a pub, and displays a portrait of Lafitte inside.
New Orleans isn't just about pirates. The famous song 'House of the Rising Sun' by Eric Burden and the Animals was written about a building in the city. Rumour has it that rich fathers, to make men out of their sons, would take them to the house for their first intimate encounter with the ladies! You can explore the French Quarter area by horse and carriage with Mid City Carriages, and your guide will point out these areas of interest.
Located in the heart of the French Quarter is Jackson Square, named after General Andrew Jackson, future president of the USA and a good friend of Lafitte's. During the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, they worked closely together to devise a plan to beat the British.
Jackson and Lafitte planned their attacks in what used to be a slave exchange. Today, it's the Pierre Maspero Restaurant, serving up traditional meals like gumbo, a spicy seafood soup, and jambalaya, which is rice with beans and sausage. The locals recommend that you spice them up even more with some Louisiana Hot Sauce, but only if you're brave enough!
The facts
Air New Zealand will fly you to L.A. with prices starting at $1729 from Sydney. Connecting flights to New Orleans on America West start from $340 return.
Air New Zealand
Tel: 13 24 76
America West Airlines
Tel: 1300 364 757
The Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour costs around $64 for adults and $38 for kids. A 30 minute ride with Mid City Carriages is about $75 for up to four people.
Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours
Jean Lafitte Ticket Booth
Tel: 0011 1 504 689-4186
Email: info@jeanlafitte.com
Accommodation is available at the Lafitte Guesthouse in Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. Prices start from $140 per night.
Lafitte Guest House
Tel: 0011 1 504 581 2678
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
Tel: 0011 1 504 522 9377
New Orleans Metropolitan CVB
Tel: 0011 1 504 566 5011
French Market Corporation
Tel: 0011 1 504 522 2621
E-mail: info@frenchmarket.org
Prices correct at 05/07/04
