New Orleans

I really didn't know what to expect going to New Orleans for the first time. Would there still be devastation from Katrina? Would there be life in the city? Would it be heartbreaking? Would it be fun? And I have to tell you, I was so pleasantly surprised. Not that I necessarily thought that it would be in ruins, after all Hurricane Katrina hit nearly 5 years ago, this August. From what I saw of this city it's amazing. There is more history in one square block than there is in entire cities. The people are welcoming and engaging. I think that I could have spent days there, just exploring the beautiful streets and delicious cafes.



Our first stop was Cafe Dumonde for beignets and Cafe Au Lait. I'm not a coffee drinker, but when in Rome. This cafe is fantastic. There's a big covered area outside, and they've crammed in as many tables as possible. There are very hard working waiters and waitresses in old school paper hats and aprons. The floor is speckled everywhere with powdered sugar. The menu is limited, but what's on it is amazing. Beignets are basically square donuts with heaping piles of powdered sugar. They are light and airy and oh-so delicious, basically a little slice of heaven.

After our healthy breakfast I had to make a pit stop to put my feet in the Mississippi. (As of press time I have not contracted any diseases and/or rashes.) Three years ago this August I was up in Minnesota with my then boyfriend and his family. We took a trip to the headwaters of the Mississippi and we put our feet in there. So now I've come full circle and had my feet in the foot waters (well, close enough anyway). We then took a walk through the French Quarter Farmer's Market. It's one of the oldest Farmer's Market. I could picture the boats offloading their wares on the banks of the Mississippi. Though I think it's changed a bit over the years, it's still a great market. They're selling more Mardi Gras beads now than fruits and vegetables.

After walking down Bourbon street with the frozen daiquiri and margarita shops littering the area, we circled back to Jackson square. The St. Louis Cathedral is simple and beautiful, the area between the cathedral and the square is peppered with tarot card readers and fortune tellers. I'm really not sure how that happened, but it might be interesting to find out. I didn't stop, but I have often wondered about what my future holds. We made it back to the car and drove through the Garden District. The Garden District is full of amazing homes. Amazing in their size and beauty. I think you could spend days there winding through the streets and admiring the architecture.

Throughout this tour of the city there were small reminders of the devastation that Hurricane Katrina rendered on this lively city. There were a few buildings with smashed in windows or with scaffolding up, but for the most part the city was alive and well. Then we took a trip to The Lower Ninth Ward. This is the part of New Orleans that was hit the hardest when the levies broke. There were homes that had been picked up from their very foundation and set down in the middle of the street. This area is a lower income neighborhood, which means there are more houses placed closer together.

Driving through these neighborhoods you wouldn't think that the hurricane was five years ago. Though the area is cleaned up, with no more houses in the middle of the road, grass growing, and the area being slowly rebuilt, it is not the picture of the neighborhoods that once were. So many houses still bear the mark that search and rescue spray painted across the front in red paint. An X with numbers and some writing, indicating the date and what was found. One message indicated '1 Dog Dead', the rest of the codes I didn't understand. I would estimate that 1 out of every 4 houses is currently occupied. There are many for sale signs, and even more naked concrete slabs.

However, what you take away from this area isn't sadness and grief. These people were dealt an impossibly devastating blow, but they are rebuilding. Neighbors are helping neighbors to rebuild what once was. I'd like to think that in another 5 years this will be a thriving community again. Where people won't look upon the area with despair, but with hope and encouragement. I remember where I was when Katrina ravaged this city, this state, but to see the area first hand is something entirely different. This city is recovering, not only that, it's alive and well.