America's Most Unique Cultural City...

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of American Classic Tour TV. I'm your host, JD Conroy. On today's episode, we're going to explore America's most unique cultural city. But before we get into today's episode, I want to let you know that we are offering a special tour TV discount to you because you're tuning in today. If you sign up for any tour that I preview in today's episode, by the date that's listed on this screen, you'll receive $200 off on your reservation. When you think of New Orleans, what first comes to mind? Is it jazz music? Or Mardi Gras? Or maybe it's the crazy parties on Bourbon Street? While all of these things are important cultural symbols, New Orleans is more than just jazz music. It's more than Mardi Gras and it's definitely more than just crazy parties on Bourbon Street. I would argue that New Orleans is America's most unique cultural city. Located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, New Orleans was of strategic importance as a military and trading port. And because of this fact, it was traded back and forth between nation states, jockeying for access to this crucial port. New Orleans was founded in 1718 by French colonists who controlled the area until 1763, when after the Treaty of Paris, the Spanish gained control of New Orleans. The Spanish controlled New Orleans until 1800 when it was ceded back to the French. In 1803, the French actually sold it to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Now during this early colonial period, it wasn't just the French and Spanish who inhabited the city of New Orleans. Other cultures came and left their imprint on the city as well. The English were always in the mix, jockeying for this port, ruling it for brief periods, and they left their imprint on the city. Through the slave trade, cultural traditions of Africa made their way to New Orleans. Due to its proximity to the Caribbean, New Orleans has attracted many cultures from the Caribbean over the years. Another interesting twist in New Orleans' colonial history came as a result again of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The English gained control of the Canadian Maritime Provinces, which at the time were known as Acadia, which were controlled by the French. There was a group of, I would say, former French colonists called the Acadians living there at that time. They kind of had developed their own culture. They were a very rugged, independent people, and they were not happy about this. They did not want to submit to British rule, so they were exiled, or they left. They came down to America, and many of them came all the way down to Louisiana, which at the time was controlled by the French. So that's where the term Cajun came from. Acadian slowly morphed into Cajun. So as you can see, New Orleans is like the ultimate example of a melting pot. All of these cultures, French, Spanish, English, African, Caribbean, Acadian, and American, all blended together to create this new, vibrant culture. And today you can see living expressions of this melting pot first and foremost in New Orleans' Cajun food, which mixes elements from traditional French, Spanish, and Caribbean cooking to create some tasty dishes like jambalaya, gumbo, and more. A second place where you can see the imprint all these different cultures left is in New Orleans' architecture. Its famous French Quarter is home to beautiful French style of architecture. The city is spotted with Spanish balconies, hearkening back to the Spanish colonial period. As you travel across the city, you'll see some bright and colorful buildings, characteristic of architecture in the Caribbean countries. On this tour, we'll be staying all four nights at the lovely and luxurious Hotel Monteleone in the heart of New Orleans. It's so nice to stay at only one hotel on a tour. You only have to unpack your bag once, making for a very relaxing experience that allows you to be fully immersed in the city you're visiting. The Hotel Monteleone is one of my favorite hotels we stay at. It's historic, it has lots of character, a great location, lovely accommodations, and it's home to the famous Carousel Bar. Now if you look at lists of top things to do in New Orleans, the Carousel Bar is often near the top of the list. It's a revolving bar acting like a very slow merry-go-round, and its decor is quintessential New Orleans. Some highlights we'll take in on this trip include a mule-drawn carriage tour of the French Quarter, a guided tour of New Orleans featuring Jackson Square where we'll see the St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans' famous above-ground cemeteries, and the beautiful antebellum mansions of New Orleans' Garden District. We'll take a dinner cruise on the Mississippi River aboard the SS Natchez where we'll enjoy some classic New Orleans jazz music. We'll visit Blaine Kern Studios where we'll learn how Mardi Gras floats are made, walk among towering figures of fantasy, marvel at the skill and technology that animate mega floats, and acquire an insider's appreciation of the history and traditions of carnival. We'll enjoy beignets at the famous Café du Monde, savor lunch in a demonstration by Creole and Cajun experts who will teach New Orleans' specialties and season them with history, tall tales, and trivia. We'll explore the Husma House, one of New Orleans' well-preserved plantation mansions. We'll visit the National Museum of World War II, one of the best museums in the entire country. That's our tour of America's most unique cultural city, New Orleans. So there you have it, folks. That's it for today's episode. Remember that if you sign up for any tour that I talked about in today's video by the date listed here on the screen, you'll receive $200 off your reservation. We anticipate that this tour will sell out soon, so if you're interested, don't delay. Call 847-548-3333 to make your reservation today. Thanks for tuning in today. We'll see you next time on AmericanClassicTourTV.