New Orleans

THE FRENCH QUARTER 131
every shape and size that it made Bourbon Street look like Disneyland.
Today it’s a mixed bag, and not nearly as colorful as its past.
Still, both sections have been spiffed up with an extensive renovation
that was completed in late 2007. The Farmers Market makes a fun
amble as you admire everything from fresh produce and fish to more
tourist-oriented items like hot sauces and Cajun and Creole mixes.
Snacks like gator on a stick (when was the last time you had that?)
will amuse the kids. The Flea Market, a bit farther down from the
Farmers Market, is considered a must-shop place, but the reality is
that many of the goods are kind of junky: T-shirts, jewelry, hats,
purses, toys, sunglasses, and so on. Still, some good deals can be had.
On Decatur St., toward Esplanade Ave. from Jackson Sq. & 504/522-2621. www.
frenchmarket.org. Daily roughly 9am–6pm (tends to start shutting down about an
hour before closing).
St. Louis Cathedral The St. Louis Cathedral prides itself on
being the oldest continuously active cathedral in the United States.
What usually doesn’t get mentioned is that it is also one of the ugliest.
The outside is all right, but the rather grim interior wouldn’t
give even a minor European church a run for its money.
Still, its history is impressive and somewhat dramatic. The cathedral
formed the center of the original settlement, and it is still the
major landmark of the French Quarter. This is the third building to
stand on this spot. A hurricane destroyed the first in 1722. On
Good Friday 1788, the bells of its replacement were kept silent for
religious reasons rather than ringing out the alarm for a fire—which
eventually went out of control and burned down more than 850
buildings, including the cathedral itself.
Rebuilt in 1794, the structure was remodeled and enlarged
between 1845 and 1851 by J. N. B. de Pouilly. The brick used in its
construction was taken from the original town cemetery and was
covered with stucco to protect the mortar from dampness. And then
there was Katrina. The first post-K Mass was held in October 2005,
and was attended by hundreds of locals. It’s worth going inside to
catch one of the free docent tours; the knowledgeable guides are full
of fun facts about all of the above, plus the windows and murals and
how the building nearly collapsed once from water table sinkage. Be
sure to look at the slope of the floor: Clever architectural design
somehow keeps the building upright even as it continues to sink.
615 Pere Antoine Alley.&504/525-9585. Fax 504/525-9583. www.stlouiscathedral.
org. Free admission. Mon–Sat 9am–4pm; Sun 9am–2pm. Free tours usually given in
the afternoon, pending docent availability.