Religion & History

Outer:

Organ in St. Louis Cathedral

            Walking into the St. Louis Cathedral was like walking into a sacred page of history. The somber atmosphere and wooden church pews made we want to sit down and take it all in. There were chandlers hanging from the painted ceiling put off a glow of light that was more like candle light then electricity. The oil paintings on the ceiling told the story of the artist that painted it. Having never been to Europe, it made me realize for the first time how beautiful and breathtaking can be. Although the alter was the most beautiful alter I have ever seen. I was drawn to the organ. This was located on the back of the church looking over the entire sanctuary. The silver pipes were massive and original to the church, dating back to the 1800’s. As I was taking pictures and listening to what the tour guide was saying, I was imagining what it must sound like when the church was filled with its music.  

St. Louis Cathedral

Me outside the St. Louis Cathedral

Black and white tile in a diagonal pattern almost dared you to walk down the center aisle. At first, this threw me off because it almost didn’t belong in an old church. This is probably because it reminded me of the tile in my bathroom growing up. However, the tour guide pointed out the history you could see in this tile. Embedded in the stone, you could see the outlines of various sizes of fossils. They looked like a snail shell cut in half so you could see the swirl of the shell. You could almost imagine the years this tile has been in this church and how many famous Popes, Bishops, and Priests have walked on the tile. Although Catholics runs in my family, I am not Catholic. However, at the end of this tour, anyone could appreciate the history and story this church tells.  

 

Fossil in the tile 

After this tour, we learned more history Old Ursuline Convent. When we stepped into the courtyard, the atmosphere changed from city to peace. I barely remembered we were in the middle of New Orleans. The crisp air was touching my face and filling my lungs. Birds were chirping in such a way that I knew they were happy and content right where they were. Green shrubs filled the courtyard. They were cut with precision, displaying sharp lines and sharp corners. They were lining brick pavers that looked like they were placed by hand perfectly by someone who cared. The sun was glistening over the buildings and as it touched us, it warmed us up. The nearby buildings displayed both Spanish and French architecture. There was also evidence of the great fire. Some of the building had pillars on the outside that extended through the entire building. The reasoning behind this was that if a fire hit that building, the structure would still stand. As we walked through the courtyard into on the of buildings, we were met by the oldest staircase in the country. It was a deep brown wood, and spiraled loosely up to the next two floors of the building.

 

America's oldest staircase 

Inner:

I was not expecting to learn about my family heritage today, but that’s what happened. My grandfather is the first generation in my family to be born in America. His parents are from Sicily. Although they settled in Chicago and not New Orleans, it was still interesting to learn about the Sicilian history in New Orleans. Even though they were the poorest people and did the worst jobs, it still made me proud that they helped turn this city into what it is today. I take pride away from this experience knowing how much my heritage is a part of this city. I am also excited to try some good Italian food here! I thought coming to New Orleans and trying new food meant eating spice so I am pleasantly surprised and excited to venture out. 

A sign in the building 

Speaking of new food, the cuisine tour was amazing. Starting the tour, I was filled with nerves because I know how picky of an eater I am. I had to psych myself up and say that I was going to try at least a bite of every dish. My motion sickness finally went away so I had no excuses. The city spoke to me through food today on this tour. Each dish came with history and a story to tell. Some dishes were invented to impress, others were made because they were cheap and practical. I found myself (more than once) wanting to go into the kitchen and watch people prepare this food for us. Being Italian, I feel like when I cook I pour love into my dishes. Feeding people and sitting around a table is where you get to know someone. I wanted to watch how the people here cooked and if they were as inspired by the history of the city as I was, or were they just cooking for a job. Either way, the food to me tasted like they cared and respected those who taught them the recipes. I bought a few things at one of the places we stopped and cannot wait to go home and cook with my family.

The original Po-boy (beef)

Red beans and Rice (yum!)

Turtle soup and shrimp

To end the night, we got our first taste of New Orleans music. I am not a huge music person so I don’t know a lot about it. I still appreciated the atmosphere the music created. There were countless bars you could walk into and listen to the heart of the city. I found myself wishing Peoria had opportunities like this. Not only for people who liked to listen to music, but also for the people playing the music. The band that I sat and listened to, and each band I peaked at through windows as we walked by, looked like they really enjoyed what they were doing. The you could tell that the music was speaking to them and telling their story. It was like they were playing with such passion and soul and giving a piece of their heart to each person who heard them play. I cannot imagine how awesome this experience would be for someone who appreciates music more than I do.  

All girls need glitter

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