I am finally back in Washington after a wonderful trip to my old stomping grounds in New Orleans. I fell in love with New Orleans during my clerkship on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and lived in the city as a faculty member at Tulane Law School. The city has bounced back after Katrina. Indeed, there are major improvements with a plethora of new shops and an ever-expanding World War II museum and other attractions. Hotels appear near capacity and the city is bustling.
It was particularly fun to visit in the week leading up to Halloween. No city does it better. Indeed, I was jealous with some of the decorations. I cover our house each year with decorations, including a full cemetery in the front yard with dozens of graves and ghouls. However, there is some real completion in NOLA as these pictures show:
We also heard a great jazz band on Bourbon street.
While walking through the French Quarter, we encountered a great street band called “Yes Ma’am” and bought one of their CDs. This is a wonderful group with a New Orleans blues sound that is unique.
This is a great city and with great food and music. We went to my past favorite haunts from Mother’s for Breakfast, Bon Ton for lunch (and bread pudding), and Galatoire’s and Brennen’s. We also went to Felix’s for oysters, which are always terrific.
Here are a few more pictures from Audubon Park, St. Charles and other areas of the Crescent City.
Dieter Heymann ..you know I never considered that about cathedral balconies. Now I’ve got to go find some more information.
Others … did not mean to abolish the lower 9th ward’s old residents. NOLA has plenty of land to build moderate decent housing on, subsidized if necessary…my intent was and is to move those residents to safer grounds, partial because some are being pushed out anyway due to gentrification. Why anyone wants to “gentrify” a sink hole is beyond me….if you get a chance, go check out Huntington, WV…their means of handling their lowest places works.
I fondly remember my first visit to New Orleans. I also remember that I was surprised to see the balconies in the cathedral. As a former European I knew that such balconies for seating people do not normally exist in catholic churches but do occur in many Synagogues for the seating of women. Then it dawned on me: another leftover from chattel slavery. That is where the house slaves were seated.
“…river high ride…” = “…river high tide…”
chipkellyshouldgoogleleibniz … you missed my comment about silly location” right? The old lower 9th Ward is being gentrified slowly now, and is still well below sea level or river high ride. Means bigger losses next time and for wealthier people. Can you explain that and how it makes sense? I support assisting NOLA in general, and the lower 9th Ward not so much…it is just another deep water flood waiting to happen. It’d make a nice park, like the below river high level areas of Huntington W. Virginia….here is their flood-wall so to speak and a pain to sustain….but it at least doesn’t start off with zero tolerance for high water.
Clearly nobody on this blog as heard of the 9th Ward (part of the New Orleans)….
Out-of-touch is a theme…
I reckon New Orleans has a special place in JT’s heart since his Bears won their only Super Bowl there.
Superb photos, thanks. My old man spent WW2 bouncing between New Orleans and Havana, w/ some stops in Florida, and Roanoke. He was a mechanic on the flight crew of an Admiral. He loved New Orleans and Havana, hated Roanoke. I did not know there was a WW2 museum in New Orleans, I need to visit. Always looking for a reason to return.
New Orleans is the only US city, situated in a truly silly location well below sea level or river high tide that I really like and support assisting after various calamities. Some of the others just repeat stupid with less reason. NOLA is a solid anchor to our history as a nation and that alone justifies the cost even to a Dang Yankee like me….even when it costs me some taxes. It is too precious to ever lose.
PS: Since I have some experience with DOD emergency response, I can’t help but wonder why Louisiana had such poor preparedness and the mayor of NOLA being totally clueless and letting buses be submerged where they were parked as a Cat 5 hurricane approached. I know how unprepared they were because I sent a team of responders there 2 days before Katrina landfall (it is a myth that it took the “Feds” a week to respond) and there was no one to meet them or guide them what-so-ever. Not even an up to date plan available. How did those clowns think people from all over the country coming to respond timely would know where to go and what needed attention first? Very unlike Mississippi or Alabama….who were prepared as best they could be. I’d hope NOLA and Louisiana have fixed that by now and are not still asleep at the switch.
The Big Easy always generates a lot of nostalgia. I love the pictures. Love street performers. Interesting picture of the girl playing the washboard hanging over her abs while smoking a cigarette.
Nice washboard abs!
Great photos. Except for the woman smoking while stroking the washboard. Different strokes for different folks but she will get cancer.
Yes, New Orleans is fine for a visit. Wouldn’t want to live there.