Why New Orleans......Why San Antonio?
Dec 03 '00 (Updated Dec 15 '00)
Okay, here's the challenge. A non-American Epinions reader sends you a the most compelling question you've ever received in an email:
"I want to visit two or three unique American cities. What would you suggest?"
You stare at the screen for a long moment. Should you suggest the reliable old standards like New York City, Washington, DC, and San Francisco? Or perhaps you ought to go for those small, relatively unknown gems like Durango, Colorado, or Flagstaff, Arizona?
Well, common sense would dictate that the big well known spots have more written about them than you could ever hope to expand upon. And the small jewels are probably too hard to fly into for a foreign visitor. So, that same common sense takes this writer back to the cities that touched him as magical as he has toured the vast United States.
San Antonio, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Easy to access on all the major airlines. Reasonably priced hotels - and plenty of them. A tremendous sense of uniqueness - cities that exude both history and charm. And food - oh yes, food that will give a foreign visitor a memory that will reside inside their palate for the rest of their lives.
You land in both of these southern cities and immediately sense that the population here is somehow different than in other similarly sized cities. There is a spirit within the populace that is upbeat and festival like, while at the same time down to earth and friendly.
A trip to New Orleans is a walk back in time. With the influence of the French, the Spanish, and the deep South, you'll find streets that are unchanged from the late 1700's. Narrow, and full of intrigue - what you might expect to find if you were dropped in the midst of a Edgar Allen Poe novel.
And of course, the natives here do understand a "bit" about food. In fact, a visitor to New Orleans needs but two things for a successful visit. Money, and an appetite. Everything else is unnecessary, since there are over 500 restaurants alone in the French Quarter. Cajun, Creole, French, and every variation of a praline that is known to man. Come for the sights, and eat often, and your visit to this southern hospitality capital will be one you'll never regret.
That can also be said with the same certainty about New Orlean's southwestern cousin - San Antonio. A perfect mixture of modern Texas and the Texas of the early 1800's. Well preserved Spanish missions, and the Alamo, the powerful Texas shrine of liberty. Couple that with a wonderfully winding river that is lined by modern hotels and shops, and the result is a feeling that the marriage of American culture and Mexican heritage is "just right" in old San Antone.
And yes - the food is also splendid. Northern Mexico cuisine abounds, as does that unique combination called Tex-Mex. Don't be surprised if you hear "Uno six pack, por favor" as you sit at a table surrounded by well grilled meats, and sizzling cheese matched perfectly on a handmade tortilla.
So, the simple answer to the query of why New Orleans and why San Antonio is perfectly simple:
Uniqueness....aura....attitude......and smiles on every corner - from both the visitors - and the locals.
Yes - America's best unique cities abound with lots to see and do. The Alamo, the Riverwalk, the French Quarter, the Vodoo District, the Garden District, and the abundance of friendly people that inhabit these communities with a flair that is unmistakable.
But, in my book, the best reason a newcomer to our shores should plan to visit these two cities is because they combine history and culture so flawlessly. The past and the present meld, and the result is a perfect blend of spice and unique flavor.
Oh - and native Americans will find a trip to these two towns quite magical as well.
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Epinions.com ID:
Bonies7
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Member: Jeff Clow
Location: The Lone Star State
Reviews written: 132
Trusted by: 1018 members
About Me:
Father, Husband, Consultant, Photographer, Writer, Conservative, Inquisitive, Texan
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