Patrick and I set off to eat our way through the cities and countries we planned to visit, so naturally, New Orleans was high on our list. Not only did we stay with friends who lived off Magazine Street, we were also treated to incredible local food. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the boisterous energy and romantic architecture of the French Quarter, but the best Vietnamese food, crawfish, and Cajun dishes could only be found in spots far away from the famous Bourbon Street area. Obvious pro tip: don’t spend your money on overpriced meals in the French Quarter. With the exception of beignets and coffee at Café du Monde, eating in that area is mostly for convenience.

The best local eateries in the city excelled at keeping a short, tight menu with dishes overflowing with flavor. From Jamaican oxtails to duck noodle soup, I was never disappointed by a single meal. However, the highlight foodie moment of my trip was, without a doubt, the crawfish boil we held in the backyard of our friend’s house. Two sacks (about 70 lbs) of fresh crawfish mingled happily with corn, mushrooms, and potatoes in a boiling pot of seasoned, salty goodness. Once finished, the crawfish and its accompaniments were dumped onto a long newspaper-covered table with hungry hands hastily picking through the red “mud bugs”. We drank crisp and cold beer from NOLA Brewing, while dancing and laughing our way to sundown.

New Orleans was equal parts phenomenal food and equal parts bad roads. There was a pothole outside of our friend’s home large enough to fit a healthy 12-year-old child. One lazy Wednesday morning, while I read on the front porch, I witnessed the pothole claim two vehicles and almost devour two more before noon. Bicyclists whizzing by always exclaimed aloud to no one, “This shitty-ass road,” as if this street was any different than any other street in New Orleans. In fact, it seemed the nicest neighborhoods had the worst roads, like an odd tax on the wealthy. The people of New Orleans have taken the pothole problem in stride, sometimes creating art out of the potholes or filling them with beads.

I soon learned that this sprawling, lively city with its charming street cars and rows of southern live oak trees was built on a swamp. A mere 10-12 inches beneath the asphalt and concrete is water. Yes, you read that correctly. Nearly 50 percent of New Orleans is below sea level, and the city has made several attempts to successfully pump water out since the early 1800s. At some point, 100 percent of the city was above sea level, but under-engineering and lack of funding has led to the current road conditions. While some methods have proven more effective than others, the soil subsidence problem is highlighted with every passing hurricane. However, crumbling roads did not diminish my love for this city. In fact, I believe it adds to the charm and laid-back attitude prevalent in almost every Orleanian I met.

Needless to say, I will definitely be returning to NOLA. The beautiful Louisiana city was a great way to wet my traveling toes as the first stop on a seven-month sabbatical. Next stop: Houston!