Trains, Planes and Automobiles AND FERRIES

So,the reccomendation of the helpful ranger in the State Park is to drive to Algiers Pier on what is called the West Side of New Orleans (even though, because of a bend in the river it is to the south of New Orleans) (across the river) and take the Ferry, leaving your car in a car park which is very cheap, as opposed to paying a lot for parking in New Orleans.
So, Sally and I thought we would try this, it would be a great adventure.
Bear in mind that it is actually quicker to go acros the river on the freeway than it is to find your way through the backstreets to the ferry. Well, we eventually found the ferry terminal, called Algiers Pier, just in time to miss the 11.00 ferry, so we had to wait until 11.30. We could not board the ferry because we were told that a rope was caught round the propellor and they were sending down a driver. I thought he was called the captain, but never mind. Fortunately the ferry left quite quickly afterwards. It took about 10 minutes to cross the Mississippi to New Orleans (New Orleans proper is called the East Side, even though because of the the river bend it is actually to the north of the the West Side). In fact, when you look on the map, because of the the bend in the river the ferry route actually goes in a westerly direction to get from the West Side (which is to the south) to the East Side (which is to the north).

Any way, we then had a good time in New Orleans. Today we were going to do Bourbon Street, perhaps the most famous of the the French Quarter streets. What a let down. It was completly full of 'Kiss Me Quick' gift shops, bars (sleezy) and expensive poor quality food. Just like Blackpool, or Atlantic city. However, when we turned off Bourbon Street, we were once more enchanted by the houses with their pretty balconies, many of them decorated for Halloween, or with plants. We had a very pleasant lunch in a little French cafe.

The main event of the afternoon was going to the museum on Jackson Square to see an exhibition about Mardi Gras parades and in particular the Zulu Krewe. It was fascinating. The Krewes are very complex social networks, with all sorts of formalised ritual (social activities, not religious rituals). The parade participants have all sorts of specific roles, again heavily ritualised, from lamp holders up to the Kings (Rexes). They have fascinating histories. The Zulu's were the first Black Krewe to be accepted on the main parade route, I think in about 1967, though they are celebrating their centenery year. Their history reflects the slow changes in Civil Rights. Louis Armstrong was the Zulu King in 1949, the year in which I was born.
Every aspect of carnival seems to interweave to create a complete social experience, quite fascinating (yes I know I have used that word three times). They had several costumes on show - they were absolutely brilliant.
Incidently it was in New Orleans in 1892 that Homer Plessy carried out the first act of civil disobedience by sitting in the white only area of a street car (way before Rosa Parks). There was a famous court case: Plessy v. Ferguson, unfortunately he lost, the result was that the doctine of 'Separate but equal' became accepted, setting back civil rights 40 years and determining the pattern for the treatment of blacks for the next 50 years.

We now started back towards the ferry, this time walking along Royal Street, between Bourbon and Chartres. We found that this road had been closed to vehicles so that street musicians could perform. We stood amazed as we listened to a an unamed band play and sing real jazz, while a couple did some brilliant Lindy Hop dancing (we think it was Lindy Hop). We thoroughly enjoyed this, excllent entertainment.
We eventually arrived back at the Canal Street Ferry Terminal, having just missed the 4.00 ferry.
NOW THIS IS WHERE IT ALL GOES PEAR SHAPED
Only to be told, by rumour, as because as there is no charge for the ferry there are no personnel there, that the ferry had broken down and had not turned up. There was no sign to say, it will be coming in an hour, or tomorrow or whatever, it just stopped. So we had no idea if it would arrive in five minutes, or never run again.
So we waited for a bit, getting cold, getting hungry and no information - all these things lead to stress.
So we made the decision that we would have to get a taxi to take us to the other ferry terminal where our car was.
We went to find a taxi, spoke to a hustler we had talked to the day before. "What, the ferry is not running" with incredulity. He suggested a hotel to get a taxi. (now 5.00)
We went to the Double Tree and explained to the porter why we needed a taxi, his response was "What, the Ferry is not running" and then he explained this to the House Manager who exclaimed "What, the ferry is not running" with incredulity. They phoned for a taxi. Yes, of course he asked for a taxi with a lift, which could carry an electric wheelchair.
Taxi arrived. Yes, of course was an ordinary cab. Now here we ran into the French mode of the New Orleanians, which had been threatening for some time, but not actually reared its ugly head. When asked how he would put the chair in the car the taxi driver quite naturally, as though he had been doing it for generations lifted his shoulders and arms in the true Gallic way to express his total incompetence in the situation. He looked from Sally's chair to his trunk and back again. He then radioed for a bigger taxi, though he said that the bigger taxi did not have a lift, but it was big enough to take the chair! We mentioned we needed the taxi because the ferry was not working. "What, the Fairry ees not running" he said with incredulity. He then made noises with his radio and told us that dispatch had another job for him, but the bigger van would be coming. He then, somewhat comically, said "I must go now" and made to exit very quickly from the hotel forecourt, only he did not move. He then had to get out rather sheepishly and explain that it was stuck in Park and he had to rock the car backwards and forwards to unstick it. A bit of a Clouseau Moment.
By now it was obvious that there are no taxi's in New Orleans that are able to transport an electric wheelchair, So plan B - I would take a taxi back across to the Algiers Pier ferry terminal, then I would drive back in our car and collect Sally. So I left Sally in the hotel lobby and hailed an ordinary cab saying that I wanted him to take me to Algiers Pier, wherepon he very helpfully said that I could take the ferry, so I told him that though this was a good plan, which I had thought of already, unfortunately the ferry was not working, which was why I was now having to take taxicab to collect my car which was at the Algiers Ferry Terminal. "Mon Duiex, What, the fairry ees not running?" he said with incredulity. I wearily repeated that was why I needed to take a cab.
With a bit of help on directions we crossed the mighty bridge over the Mighty Mississippi, which I have now found out is called the CCC bridge and I retrieved our car. Now of course I was at the terminal on the other side of the river. I spied a couple of people waiting for the ferry and said I was going back to the other terminal to pick up my wife, would they like a lift round. They very gratefully accepted, because they worked in New Orleans and would be late, because the ferry was not running. Though it actually took some time for them to understand why I would be driving my car from one ferry terminal to the other, when I could catch the ferry (except that it wasn't working).
I now returned from the West Side, to the East Side (which is north of the West Side)along Route 90 East, though I was travelling westwards across the CCC bridge (which I now remember stands for Crescent City Connection). I must admit that the girls I was giving a lift to paid the toll fee. I collected Sally from the hotel and we drove home without further adventure (apart from following an armadillo through the campground).
Now the car park in New Orleans on Chartre is $10 for all day parking. The Ferry would save us a lot of inconvenience and be much cheaper, as it was free, though you need to leave your car in the car park at the ferry because it is not safe to leave it on the road there.
So, to save $10, plus $1 bridge toll ($11)
We paid $5 to park at Algiers Pier
$20 for a taxi
$2 for the toll for the taxi
Total $27 and three extra hours travelling time
To save us $10 parking fee and the hassle of parking in New Orleans.

Today I mentioned to the park ranger who had made the original recommendation that the ferry had been out of action. "What, the ferry was not running?" she said with incredulity.
In all of this we have learned
1. Don't use public transport if you don't really need to, it probably won't work.
2. The New Orleans Ferry has an impregnable reputation for always running.