Magic In New Orleans a Travel Overview

Esther’s writing prompt: March 18 : Magic

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Image is showing a man with skull face wearing a black top hat and he is surrounded by flames.
Voodoo shaman, african wizard man conjure, 3D illustration. Shutterstock Asset id: 2048753030 by artshock

We just came home from a trip to New Orleans, which is truly a magical city. New Orleans is not very far from Dallas, where we live, and we’ve been to New Orleans several times. However, it was a fun family trip with a theme. The theme we chose for our trip was Magic, including Vampires, Voodoo/Hoodoo, ghosts, pirates and St. Patrick’s Day. We also went on a ghost tour. Below are some photos from the Voodoo Museum, and miscellaneous voodoo, witches, vampire and pirate stores.

A skeleton wearing a black top hat. The skeleton has several cigarettes in its mouth.
From the Voodoo Museum.
Automated fortune teller in a glass box.
I used an automated fortune teller who told me to watch out for stepping on people’s toes. That is kind of strange since we hardly ever go dancing.

Photo Tile with photos from the Voodoo Museum, a Hoodoo Queen, vampire art, pirate, and witch store.

We also ate at a restaurant that has a ghost. The Muriel’s Jackson Square restaurant is allegedly haunted by a ghost that sits in the chair. The ghost is a former owner by name of Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan.

It is a photo of a table that is already set. There is an empty chair between my daughter and my son’s girlfriend.
The ghost is sitting between my daughter (right) and my son’s girlfriend (left).

What is Voodoo ?

Voodoo is a religion blending African traditions with Catholicism. It is originating from enslaved people in Haiti and Louisiana. It focuses on serving spirits and honoring ancestors and connecting with nature. It is not black magic. However, I admit I’ve made fun of the so called voodoo dolls. Marie Catherine Laveau was one the most prominent practitioners of voodoo. She was born a free woman of color in New Orleans’s French Quarter, Louisiana, on September 10, 1801. We saw her house. Below are photos from the Voodoo Museum.

Photo Tile from the Voodoo Museum

Vampire Café

We also did some vampire related things. New Orleans is often called the Transylvania of America. Author’s such as Anne Rice have brought attention to New Orleans and its vampire legends. I read a book with 40 short stories about vampires while we visited New Orleans. The book was Vermillion Highways by David Lee Summers and Lee Clark Zumpe. I will make a post about that book in a couple of days. We visited vampire stores and the famous Vampire Café. See the photos below.

A  white sign stating Vampire Café.
Vampire Café
I am sitting on a chair in front of the Vampire Café drinking from a blood bag with a straw.
Me drinking (pretend blood) from a blood bag at the Vampire Café.
I am sitting on a chair in front of the Vampire Café drinking a glass of wine (Pinot Noir). The glass says Vampire Café.
Me drinking a glass of Pinot Noir. The name of the wine is Vampire, and it says so on the glass.

Photo Tile from Vampire Café.

I should say that we did other things as well. We visited the aquarium, rainforest, and insectarium, which is quite impressive. We celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day, and we made a couple of visits to the famous Pat O’Brien’s Pub. We all had a good time.

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Author: thomasstigwikman

My name is Thomas Wikman. I am a software/robotics engineer with a background in physics. I am currently retired. I took early retirement. I am a dog lover, and especially a Leonberger lover, a home brewer, craft beer enthusiast, I’m learning French, and I am an avid reader. I live in Dallas, Texas, but I am originally from Sweden. I am married to Claudia, and we have three children. I have two blogs. The first feature the crazy adventures of our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle as well as information on Leonbergers. The second blog, superfactful, feature information and facts I think are very interesting. With this blog I would like to create a list of facts that are accepted as true among the experts of the field and yet disputed amongst the public or highly surprising. These facts are special and in lieu of a better word I call them super-facts.

2 thoughts on “Magic In New Orleans a Travel Overview”

  1. What a great museum! I’d love to go there. It looks like you had a lot of fun – and at the cafe too. The wine has the perfect name for a red! Thank you for your post, Thomas.

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