"Dreams do come true in New Orleans!"

Tiana knew what was up in The Princess and the Frog. Last summer, I had the opportunity to travel to the beautiful city of New Orleans, Louisiana to volunteer for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Youth Gathering. The ELCA Youth Gathering has occurred every three years since 1988, taking place in large cities around the nation such as Detroit, San Antonio, Denver, and more. I went to the gathering in 2006 in San Antonio, Texas as a participant. That will be a blast from the past blog post for another time, though.

These gatherings bring together thousands of youth from around the nation to come together and make a difference. The past two gatherings, 2009 and 2012, have been hosted in New Orleans due to the tragic occurrence of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. High school students, ages 15-18, come to these gathering to volunteer their time to help the community while indulging in a new culture, meeting amazing new people, and finding spiritual guidance.

Powdered-sugar perfection.

As a hotel life volunteer, I got to send the groups off in the mornings and welcome them back in the evenings, having most of my days free to enjoy the New Orleans culture for myself.

The beauty of NOLA (how the locals pronounce it) is almost too breathtaking to be able to describe. There is a constant hum of music, whether playing on the radio from a shop or from the very talented street performers like the jazz musicians that often jam in front of the Cafe Du Monde. This famous cafe is located in the French Quarter and it is almost a requirement to stop for coffee and beignets during your visit to NOLA. If you're not a morning person, don't worry because they are open 24/7.

I also highly suggest walking down the Riverwalk, which provides beautiful scenery along the Mississippi Riverfront, which lines up perfectly with the French Market. In the morning you can take a stroll down Decatur Street, the main street that runs through the French Quarter, and come back on the Riverwalk in the afternoon. 

Also located on the riverfront is the Riverwalk mall, which also has a small Cafe Du Monde, and is great for all of your tourist needs; I bought my parents a back scratcher made with alligator teeth, and myself an alligator tooth necklace. 

Parrots at The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is also located on the Riverwalk. The aquarium is beautiful and abundant with not only sea life, but some reptiles and birds as well. Any aquatic lover would enjoy the sharks, stingrays, and the feeling like you're on a rain-forest adventure.

Since I was there for a church event, and was not twenty-one at the time, I will have to go back to experience Bourbon Street. I hear it gets a bit crazy during Mardi Gras season, but when we walked down the street it just seemed like a party all day, every day if you're around, "forget about all your cares in the world" sort of deal. Next time I am there, I will be sure to go back to Bourbon Street.

There is always more to be said when speaking about a city full of beautiful scenery and the friendliest people in the world. I've never felt more welcome anywhere in my twenty-one years of living than I felt when I went to New Orleans. I actually never had an overwhelming pull to visit this city in the first place, but I am glad that I did and it will forever be in my top cities.

The St. Louis Cathedral overlooking Jackson Square in the French Quarter.

"Adventure is out there." Go find it!

The One and Only,
Carly K.