All great cities have them – unique neighborhoods.

New York has Harlem, Paris the Left Bank, for London it’s Soho, Tokyo has the Ginza.

Each of them special.

In North America – it’s the French Quarter of New Orleans.

The French Quarter is the city’s historic heart, famous for its vibrant nightlife and colorful buildings with cast-iron balconies. Crowd-pleasing Bourbon Street features jazz clubs, Cajun eateries and raucous bars serving potent cocktails. Quieter streets lead to the French Market, with gourmet food and local crafts, and to Jackson Square where street performers entertain in front of soaring St. Louis Cathedral.

But you wouldn’t know any of that as your cab makes its way into New Orleans from the airport.

Like most trips into major world cities there is a vista of huge skyscrapers dominating the skyline, different sizes, different shapes.

But your perspective changes dramatically.

It happens as soon as you alight from your cab – in front of the Westin Hotel on Canal Street.

And then it hits you, New Orleans is unique.

There is a vibe in the air, it feels different, muggy tropical heat, palm trees, English spoken differently – a mixture of French Canadian English, Jamaican patois, – soft, lilting, gentle.

It all adds up to a sense of mystery, a sense of excitement – I can’t wait to see New Orleans, experience it, savour it.

After a 10 minute walk from the hotel you are in the thick of things – Bourbon Street – the heart of the French Quarter.

The French Quarter defines New Orleans.

It is the city’s historic heart – famous for its vibrant nightlife, colourful buildings with cast-iron balconies. Endless jazz clubs, Cajun eateries, honky tonk bars.

From Bourbon street head to the French Market, with gourmet food and local crafts, and to Jackson Square where street performers entertain in front of soaring St. Louis Cathedral.

New Orleans uniqueness stems from its polyglot cultures – French, Spanish, African, Spanish, Creole, Cajun, Haitian, Caribbean, Acadian.

And this is what makes New Orleans unique.