Final Notes

I must apologize for the delay in posting this blog for the New Orleans trip. Between work, teaching, photography, traveling, "honey do" lists and life, it was pretty difficult trying to post this blog. I told you about Denise who stated that it would probably take about ten years for the city to recover. Another person that I interviewed named "Bilal" shared his sentiments as well. "New Orleans is a great city filled with wonderful peopleand an exciting culture." No truer words have been spoken. You can see some of New Orleans finest paintings at the "Galerie d' Art Francais" located at 541 Rue Royale, New Orleans LA 70130.

New Orleans is a wonderful city filled with many different cultures that blend together perfectly. The people in New Orleans were very friendly and eager to answer almost all of my questions. I wanted to be sensitive to the fact that there are a lot of people that live here that lost friends and loved ones to Katrina. The signs are still evident as you view the photos that I took. When we toured the areas of devastation such as the 9th Ward, and the London District, you can still see the number of victims that perished. The markings are still present on the front doors, walls and other areas of each home.

As sad as this all is, it is comforting to know that the people in New Orleans are determined to fight for the revival of their city. We were present for the "Running of the Bulls." (See the photos "Running with the Bulls", and "The Matadors") This annual tradition features roller bladers chasing the would be bull fighters around the streets outside of Cafe Du Monde. It is a wonderful time shared by both participants and spectators. One must be careful as the bulls are wielding plastic baseball bats trying to protect themselves from the bull fighters. The bull fighters are not too upset as they prepare themselves for battle by drinking liquid beverages aimed at listing the spirits of all who participate. (ALCOHOL)

We experienced some of the best food that New Orleans had to offer. "Deanies" has great seafood. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere very lively. The fried seafood platter is something not to be missed. Bring your appetites as this restaurant serves plenty of food. Cafe Du Monde serves some of the best sweet treats. (Fried dough with confectionary sugar) The "Pralines Connection" located in the French Quarter serves some of the best soul food in New Orleans. The staff dresses in black and white slacks and shirts with very stylish hats adding to the ambiance of the restaurant. (See the photo entitled "Pralines") This is a favorite local hangout. Another great restaurant that had one of the best breakfast entree's in the Quarter was the "Royal House". (You can see the photo entitled "The Royal House with Scott")

With that being said there is a discrepancy about the number of levees that actually broke, the response of emergency personnel that did and did not arrive, and the number of people that passed away during this period. While riding around on the tour, I was able to obtain some fascinating data about the Katrina disaster. According to our driver:

• There were 33 breaches, not 3 (The Time Life book Which I read, and strongly recommend reading stated that there were far less breaches)



• Because of the crisis in the Gulf, reservists could not respond immediately to assist with the evacuation, rescue and recovery efforts of New Orleans



• There was looting on both sides of the bridge and as a result had to be barricaded by police (According to the Time Life book, it could not easily be determined whether or not looting was committed as a result of survival, or as of a result of some sort of criminal nature)



• Students that attended local schools and universities could not obtain their school records for over a year



• Businesses that tried to return to the region couldn't because there were no workers to perform the tasks



• 80% of the people would eventually return to their homes



• Camp Gray and Lake Vista did not flood



• The French Quarter received flooding and some damaged windows, but no significant structural damage to report



• Over 100, 000 vehicles and 100, 000 pets were lost



• Louisiana is the #2 exporter of natural gas.



• 80% of grains are produced in Louisiana



• There used to be 122 schools in Louisiana, now there are only 61 schools



• When the levees broke, the water was 10-12 feet high

One person that I interviewed believed that over 30,000 people perished as a result of the storm. As that number sounds very high, and a direct contradiction of the reported number of people that were estimated killed, there is still no way to accurately document the names and identities of everyone that was reported missing or found dead. As I visited the 9th Ward, which unfortunately is also known as the "Poverty Stricken" area of new Orleans, you can clearly see the destruction and devastation that took place. Homes that are marked with the letter "X", and have notes written on the outside of them have the information of the victims, if any, written on the outside for information purposes. (See the photo "An Abandoned Home Visited")

In fairness, even before the storms and flood waters came through, the 9th Ward area has been neglected for many years now. In some cases it was difficult to tell what structures were hit by the storms and what areas were simply abandoned. (See the photos entitled "A Condemned Home, and An Abandoned Storefront")

With all of this being said, my wife and I really enjoyed our visit to New Orleans. We hope to visit the city again in a couple of years. Some of the businesses have closed down, but for the ones that remain open, the owners are as resiliant and determined as ever to survive. As the recession has also hit this city like many other cities across the country, New Orleans is struggling a little bit, but like other parts of the country, I look forward to seeing New Orleans making a great comeback. This area is too important to just simply forget about. The rich culture, great food and amazing people make New Orleans a great weekend getaway.

There are other great things taking place in New Orleans just as you are reading this blog. I had the pleasure of taking some quick shots of a wedding that was taking place in the french Quarter. Take a look at the limo that brought most of the guests to the event. Look at the faces of the people that were in attendance. If this doesnt explain the true essence of New Orleans, nothing will. (Look at the photos marked "Wedding") There are also several street artists that make these streets their home. They perform everyday for the love of the music, and for a couple of dollars to help them survive in the city.