Day 2 in NOLA was to be the busiest. I had booked 3 tours for this day. The first one started at 10 am at the Pharmacy Museum. This place can overwhelm a person quickly with the amount of items on display in such a small area. On tour days only people on the tour are allowed in the museum which already packs the museum. Once the tour starts the closeness helps everyone be able to see the items being discussed. After the downstairs portion is over the tour is released to self-tour upstairs while they open the doors to the public.
This museum was amazing but I didn't get to see even half of what was in there since we had another tour afterward at the Voodoo Museum. I could have spent all day in there or more looking at everything. Then there were all the books in the gift shop. Next trip I have to go back and spend some real time here.
The next stop was the Voodoo Museum for a 2-hour tour. The tour starts in the little museum. Don't let the size of this museum fool you, it may be small but it is packed with stuff and information. The last time we were in NOLA we visited the museum so this time I didn't feel as overwhelmed.
Mama Nita met us all in the back room which is the Alter Room and from there she weaved the tale of Voodoo and Hoodoo in New Orleans. Once she showed us around the museum and we discussed the items there, we headed out into the streets. Where she taught us about iron designs, Marie Laveau, and the gatherings at what is now Armstrong Park. I learned so much and it was such a wonderful experience.
Afterward, we headed back to the Pharmacy Museum so I could get a few books I wanted. On our way, we stopped at Jackson Square and looked at all the fun items. Nana purchased a flower headband for V which I wore around so we wouldn't have to carry it and I found an artist I like but she was packing up for the day.
We had a few hours to kill before our last tour of the night, Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans, so we went to eat at Chartres House and then we walked up and down Bourbon St. and Royal St. At some point we came across Dark Matter which is a cool store that carries some really interesting items. V came home with a wet specimen of frog.
Sadly, since the Sugar Bowl was going on, Bourbon St wasn't as it normally is. Instead, there were floodlights everywhere and the street was blocked off to traffic. It was still very loud and overwhelming but more PG than the last time we were there.
The Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans starts in a gay bar on Bourdon St, Cafe Lafitte in Exile with the story of how the bar got its name. From there Marcus toured us back and forth around Bourdon St under the banner of Madonna and Brittany kissing giving us the juicy stories of the area. It was an amazing time.
When the tour was over I had wanted to go to a karaoke bar or something but I was too worn out and so were the other two, so we called an Uber and headed back to the RV.