New Orleans was always known and loved as the birthplace of jazz or the place for wicked fun. Then, of course, Hurricane Katrina flooded three-quarters of the city, leaving it devastated.
Slow progress in rebuilding has deterred several original residents from returning. Several restaurants expect they will have to hire new staff because former employees who left the city have yet to come back.
And tourism has been scaled back, especially in what is arguably the most famous part of New Orleans: the French Quarter.
If I were pressed to give an off-the-cuff guide for first-time visitors to the city, it would be to stay in the area.
A street musician in French Quarter.
In many of the area's heritage spots, visitors can find the best nightlife, cheap eats, flea markets and live music. The city's lively theme song is When The Saints Go Marching In, and you don't have go far to hear the tune from street musicians.
New Orleans, whose culture is an amalgam of American, African, Cajun, French, Spanish and Caribbean influences, is like a Disneyland for adults (New Orleans was famous for its Dixieland jazz).
Walt Disney was so mesmerized by the city he reproduced the New Orleans spirit -- and its architectural wonders -- in his original amusement park at Anaheim, California.
Spend a few moments in historic Jackson Square, not far from the Mississippi River, and you will start to feel the church is the equivalent of Disney's Magic Kingdom. But unlike a theme park, the New Orleans fun and adventure can last all night if you want.
Don't miss the central spot of the Cafe du Monde. Here, you can soak up the energy of the street musicians and artists who liven up the area while you sip a drink under the striking green-and-white striped drapes of this iconic hangout.
Many of the street artists have yet to return since Katrina wiped out the city. Although the style of the paintings can seem a little generic at times (several images of colorful New Orleans houses, for example), if you browse what's on offer at the square, you can get some of the best and cheapest street art deals around.
And for another taste of the place, chew on a praline cookie -- but it could be a pricey experience if you purchase your cookies inside or near the French Quarter.
One of the best ways to tour the historical streets of New Orleans is to take a ride in a horse and cart. They leave from the front of Jackson Square and can take you wherever you want in the French Quarter.
For jazz enthusiasts, one of the first questions when arriving in gumbo city is "What is the best record store here?" The answer is easy: Louisiana Music Factory, a small piece of heaven on earth, whose two stories are packed with a wide selection of jazz CDs and records.
Louisiana Music Factory is solid proof that an independent record store can thrive while the major chains, such as Tower Records, are diminishing. The store has a selection of records on par with independent stores in San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York City.
If you're looking to get T-shirts printed with images of jazz artists, then Louisiana Music Factory is arguably the best place for them in the whole of the United States. I saw shirts for Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Thelonius Monk.
And it's not just jazz and all its paraphernalia: the store stocks CDs in a range of genres, including soul, reggae and contemporary music, to some extent. The record shop also sells secondhand CDs, some of which are available for half the price of a new one.
After getting hold of some of most hard-to-get records, it's time to visit some of the restaurants in town.
As one local tour guide put it: "It's a sin for people to diet while visiting New Orleans."
The must-try combo, although not unique to the area, is a coffee and beignet (a kind of French doughnut). The best spot to get them is a cafe in Decatur St. Hang out there for the view and for people watching.
Brennan's Restaurant, in Royal Street, offers one of the best brunches in town. You can order delicious steak and eggs with hollandaise sauce, pancakes or banana flambe. Just watch out for the portion size -- they come on big platters.
If you fancy a special dessert, get along to the Court of the Two Sisters for a taste of what is quite possibly the most delicious pecan pie in the country.
But it's not all music and great Southern cooking -- New Orleans is one of those cities where tour guides will take you to a cemetery. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, founded in 1789, is a popular attraction, featuring, among others, the purported tomb of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau.
It was said that early settlers were unable to bury their deceased relatives because of the wet and soggy soil, so they had to put the bodies above ground. Many family tombs resemble miniature houses complete with iron hedges.
It's true when people there say they respect the souls of the dead. Even visitors can feel the city's supernatural aura, especially during festival season (check out the spooky costumes for the parade!).
I missed the annual Mardi Gras this year, which some locals said is regaining strength, lost after Katrina.
The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that the February 2007 Mardi Gras was a success, with an estimated crowd of 800,000 and hotels reporting a 95 percent occupancy rate throughout the last weekend of Mardi Gras. It was larger than the 2006 crowds of 700,000, but not as large as pre-Katrina numbers of one million.
Even if you can't make it to the Mardi Gras, you can still check out the costumes and parade items at Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, on the other side of the Mississippi River. At the warehouse, you can watch staff repainting the parade floats and massive dolls. Some are eerie and others are downright comical.
But whatever the time of the year, New Orleans provides endless hours of entertainment for young and old. So be sure to reserve a room before you arrive, especially if your visit will coincide with one of the city's many festivals.
The Jakarta Post flew to New Orleans courtesy of Singapore Airlines.
