26 September 2006

Where a House Used to Stand, Lower 9th Ward


St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square



Beauty--and devastation--side by side in New Orleans. That's how it is these days. Most of the places you know and love about The Big Easy (the French Quarter, Jackson Square, the stately homes on St. Charles Avenue)--look largely the same. If you look closely, though, you'll notice the missing street cars on St. Charles. Blue tarps on the roofs of buildings by Jackson Square. A few wind-damaged street signs here and there. A few less tree limbs on the stately oaks that line the streets. Emptier than usual tourist hotspots like Cafe du Monde and the French Market. (The French Market really took a hit--lots of repairs still being done and a lot of vendors haven't come back yet.) If you look closely, you can even see the water marks on the buildings. Then were there the parts of the city that most tourists don't get to see: the upper and lower 9th wards, New Orleans east, Lakeview. Television pictures do not convey the sheer scope of the devastation. In the lower 9th--stairs leading to where houses USED to stand. Weeds sprouting up in empty lots--the houses that used to be there, gone. Hand painted street signs have been put up at the corners of empty streets--the old street signs and the old "landmarks" are simply gone. A lot of houses were gutted, a lot of the debris hauled away. But downed wires are still everywhere--and many houses of questional structural integrity--still remain. And it's like this neighborhood after neighborhood. I can't even get my brain around what it looked like immediately after the storm. Even the more affluent areas were hit--shopping malls abandoned. Signs blown out. Businesses still boarded up. (My partner even saw a sign for an elementary school that read: First day of Class: August 26, 2005). FEMA trailers are still everywhere. I was impressed though that people still mowed the lawns in front of their severely damaged houses. I took lots of pictures--I feel every American should see what went on there. To witness and to be a part of the rebuilding of a major American city. Some people will stay--waiting and seeing how it will all pan out. (Our friends, for instance.) They--like many others--waiting for the Mayor and the city to come up with a rebuilding plan. Too much politics being played. Some people are leaving--they just can't take the possibility of it happening again. (One of my partner's professors at Tulane.) But New Orleans IS coming back. It might take a long time to get there--but it'll come back.

Some of my favorite parts of our recent trip:

* Seeing our dear friends. (Of course).

* Watching a cool Zydeco band (and the dancing!) at Tipitina's.

* Eating the best meal I ever had (seriously) at a restauarant called "Upperline." (Fried green tomatoes w/shrimp in remoulade sauce, gumbo, duck etouffe, bread pudding, a fabulous pinot noir.)

* Going to a burlesque show in the French Quarter. The group's name: Fleur de TEASE.

* Beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde.

* Lots of Abita beer.

* Hanging out with the girl in Community Coffee in the French Quarter, watching the rain fall.

* Eating tater tots at Clover Grill--the gay dinner on Bourbon Street.

* Strolling through Octavia books--this really cool independent book store uptown.