聖誕的長假來了,我們家兵分兩路,老公帶著女兒向北,我帶著兒子向南,去美國南部的新奧爾良。許多年前與朋友一起來過,現在帶著兒子一起來,重新領略這座路易斯安那州最大的城市。
這座城市也被戲稱為新熬耳涼 ,以法國攝政王菲利普二世·奧爾良公爵命名。他是路易十四弟弟的兒子,1715年執政,1723年讓位於路易十五。在法國有座城市叫奧爾良,所以美國的就被稱為新奧爾良。
新奧爾良在西班牙與法國之間輾轉多年,作為路易斯安那購買(Louisiana Purchase)的一部分,於1803年被拿破侖賣給了美國。那可是一筆太劃算的買賣,一千五百萬美元,換來了2,144,000平方公裏的土地,羨煞了今日在灣區搶房的小地主。
新奧爾良位於密西西比河的入海口。
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新奧爾良被“又當爹來又當媽”稱為美國最有情調四座超市之一,擁有獨特的法式與西班牙式的克裏奧爾(Creole)建築,那兒的美食、音樂以及狂歡節享譽全美。一到了我們居住的地方,我立刻喜歡上了街頭的浪漫情調。
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我們的第一個目標是花園街區:美國南部保存得最完好的曆史住宅。這個區域曾經有許多種植園,居住著阻擋曆史前進的大奴隸主。
猜一猜這是誰的豪宅?
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美國南北戰爭時期南部邦聯的總統傑斐遜·戴維斯(Jefferson Davis)
當然這些都不是供參觀的房子,裏麵居住著當今的富豪人家。我們隻是在街上隨便遛遛,誰也不能剝奪路人閑逛的權利,路上遇到幾撥觀光人群,想來這些住家也習慣了遊客。
參天的大樹,高挑的廊柱,悠長的陽台,露天的電扇。這些特有的南方風味,讓我陷入了《飄》的氛圍,我突然看到了嬌豔的郝思嘉小姐,在白色的廊柱之間忽隱忽現。
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奧杜邦公園(Audubon Park)曾經是個種植園,1884年舉行了世界棉花百年盛會(World Cotton Centennial),1898年成為市立公園。大片的綠地,成群的橡樹,寬闊的湖麵,以及1.8英裏長的走道,為遊人提供了散步、長跑、騎車、野餐與聚會的好去處。
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奧杜邦公園對麵有兩所大學。
洛約拉大學(Loyola University)
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杜蘭大學(Tulane University)
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