Posts Tagged ‘irish’

Pat O Briens in New Orleans Photo by Kala Ambrose

When visiting New Orleans, the most famous location to tap into the “Spirit of the Irish” is Pat O’Brien’s. With their signature flame fountains (water fountains with fire in the middle) in the courtyard, live music and drinks served up in souvenir glasses, Pat O’Brien’s delivers on their motto created back in 1933, which is “Have Fun”!

Located in the heart of the French Quarter, Pat O’Brien’s has an illustrious history, first as a speakeasy during prohibition and then operating as an Irish bar. Perhaps what it’s most famous for is the serving the popular drink – the “Hurricane”, in a beautiful glass shaped like a hurricane lamp that you can take home with you after you finish your drink in the bar. Almost every visitor to New Orleans has a Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane glass back home as a souvenir of their good times in the city.

Famous Fire and Water Fountains in the courtyard of Pat O’Briens. Photo by Kala Ambrose

I usually end up at Pat O’Brien’s at one point or another during every visit to New Orleans and the last time was to watch the Saints game. It was during this trip to Pat O’Brien’s, that I saw my first ghost there after many visits previously where I had never encountered any paranormal activity.  I was in the bar chatting with some locals wearing Saints jerseys.  Also in the bar at that time was a large group of New York Giants fans fueling up for the big game that evening.  They were pretty funny and everyone was having a good time and laughing and joking around about the game.

I’m a huge Saints fan and I enjoy a good rivalry between teams and its fun to hear people talk about and support their teams. I love New York and have a lot of friends from New York and we love to tease and rile each other up before the games, it’s all in good fun.

Most of these guys were really fun, though as the afternoon went on two of them had become really drunk and were pretty nasty in what they were now saying to the point of yelling at and insulting Saints fans personally through the window as they walked by the bar outside on Bourbon Street or entered the bar.  These were unsuspecting people just walking by outside who were startled as the men yelled and cursed at them.

Disturbed by their aggressive actions, I declared in the bar that I was putting the “mojo” on the game. I said that the Saints would win the game that night and not only would they win, but that we would provide such a spanking that these Giants fans would return home shamed.

I wiggled my hands, shook a little Tabasco on the table and declared the magic mojo to be so!  As fortune would have it, it was a chilly November day in New Orleans and I was wearing a long black cape. As I stood up to go to the ladies room, the breeze blew around me, lifting my cape and giving credence to the words I had just uttered. These men looked at me and at each other, wondering if perhaps the Voodoo stories they heard about New Orleans and Saints fans were true.

I dashed off to the ladies room still grumbling about what some of the men had said to fans walking by on the street. As I came out of the stall and bent over the sink to wash my hands, I noticed a person standing at the sink next to me. I said to them, “Can you believe what those men were saying about Saints fans, they’ll eat their words later tonight.”  The person standing next to me at the sink said, “Yes ma’am, they will indeed”, which caught me off guard as it was a man’s voice. As I looked up, an elderly African American gentleman was standing there next to me.  He was wearing black pants, a white shirt and a black vest, which was unbuttoned.  He had a small towel in his hands, which he reached out to me. As I extended my hand towards it, my hand went straight through the towel and his hand. Ironically, what shocked me first was that he was a man in the ladies bathroom, rather than the fact that he was a ghost.

He was very sweet and though he held nothing in his hands but a towel, I got the distinct impression that he had been a musician and perhaps had played at Pat O’Brien’s in the courtyard in previous years.  He cheered me up immensely and I returned back to the bar more certain than ever that the Saints would indeed win the game that night with the confirmation from the spirit world.  I can happily report that the partying, shouting and carousing that happened later that night throughout the city was the celebration of the Saints winning the game that night with a whopping 49 points over the Giants 24.

I hope to see this ghost again next time I return to Pat O’Brien’s as he is such a sweet gentleman. He was so cognizant of what was going on in modern day, as he had followed my conversation and knew exactly what I was talking about with the game.  I also feel that he’s a lucky sign and if you see him, your wish will be fulfilled. It’s a bit shocking at first to see him in the ladies restroom, but he’s so sweet that you’ll quickly move past the initial surprise.

The tale doesn’t end here, as I moved on from Pat O’Brien’s back on to Bourbon Street to have one of the most unique paranormal experiences of my life.

Want to know what happened next? Read my book: Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead.

About Kala Ambrose: Noted wisdom teacher, author, intuitive, inspirational speaker, and host of the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Radio and TV Show, Kala Ambrose’s teachings are described as discerning, empowering and inspiring. Whether she’s speaking with world-renowned experts on the Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show, writing about empowering lifestyle choices, reporting on new discoveries in the scientific and spiritual arenas or teaching to groups around the country, fans around the world tune in daily for her inspirational musings and lively thought-provoking conversations.

Kala is the author of four books including the award-winning 9 Life Altering Lessons: Secrets of the Mystery Schools Unveiled, Ghosthunting North Carolina,  The Awakened Aura: Experiencing the Evolution of Your Energy Body and now, Spirits of New Orleans: Voodoo Curses, Vampire Legends and Cities of the Dead.

A highly interactive teacher on a mission to educate, entertain and inspire, Kala writes for the Huffington Post, the Examiner, AOL, Yahoo and Fate Magazine and presents workshops nationally on the Mind/Body/Spirit connection including Auras and Energy Fields, Developing Business Intuition, Haunted History and Wisdom Teachings at the Omega Institute, John Edward Presents Infinite Quest, the Learning Annex, LilyDale Assembly, and Daily Om.