The Best Part of New Orleans

The best part of New Orleans was all of it. That may sound completely original, but it's true. Even the bad parts somehow ended up being good. From the awful train ride to the amazing food, the entire trip was so special and one I will never forget. It can be especially difficult to go on a trip thousands of miles away from home with a bunch of people you don't really know, but that's also the beauty of it. Going on a trip with a group of people you hardly know gives you the opportunity to meet new people and form new friendships. I was so thankful to meet so many new friends in such a short period of time. If you are thinking about going on a trip like this, but are worried because you don't know anyone, don't be scared! I promise, people will be welcoming and friends will be made! 

Walking around on numerous tours for several days may scare some people away as well, but don't let it! Yes, the trip did require walking, but it was absolutely worth it. There are many parts of the city that can only been seen by walking and with the right shoes you can make it through! So even though walking was one of the downfalls it also allowed us to see so many beautiful things it was absolutely worth it! 

Trying new and mysterious foods may also sound bad and scare you away, again don't let it! On the trip I, against my better judgment, tried an oyster for the first time ever. Yes, it was just as disgusting as it sounds, but it was also a great experience. Even though I didn't like it, what better place is there than New Orleans to try an oyster for the first time! I had a blast and my stomach was able to recover quickly, no harm done! The best part of this trip was having the chance to be adventurous and try new things! 

Even the awful train ride somehow was a good thing. Most people know by now that the train ride was not fun for me, at all. However, the trip just would not have been the same without the train ride. I had never been on a train before, and even though I absolutely hated it, I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to experience it. 

My best suggestion for going on a trip like this would be to embrace all of it, even the bad. When you're able to take a negative and turn it into a positive, you can really have the trip of a lifetime! 

Favorite Restaurants

One of my absolute favorite parts of any trip is food! Obviously, if you've been following my blog you know that our class went on a cuisine tour that allowed us to try out different New Orleans dishes. However, if you're like me you're probably wanting to know more about places to get some traditional American food. Pizza, chicken, burgers, and fries are some of my favorites that I simply can't go a whole week without having! 

First, let me tell you about my absolute most favorite restaurant I visited while in New Orleans, Mona Lisa. Yes, you read that right, the name of the restaurant is indeed Mona Lisa, like the infamous painting. I chose this restaurant mainly because it had pizza and was fairly cheap. I visited this place on one of the last days we were in the city and was running short on money, as is to be expected from any college student. Not only did this place exceed my expectations, it ended up being one of the best restaurants I've ever been to in my life! The pizza was absolutely amazing and probably better than anything I've ever even had in Chicago! The garlic bread was to die for and the restaurant itself was so unique and perfect! Like its name, everything inside was Mona Lisa inspired. The tables even had paper cloths and crayons to draw your own masterpiece right on the table! The walls were filled with different variations of Mona Lisa inspired drawings. If you ever visit New Orleans, I highly recommend this place! 

As for other restaurants I really enjoyed, Bunba Gump Shrimp is a must if you've never been to one! They have a wide variety of food from seafood, to steak, and even salads. If you're wanting to try a more New Orleans original restaurant, I would recommend visiting The Napoleon House. This restaurant has decent prices and also a good variety of New Orleans style food as well as American. For food lovers of all kind, New Orleans is certainly a place to visit as the variety of food and culture will not disappoint!