New Orleans, 2 months after........ (****Dial Up Warning Heavy Graphics)

[bvar22]

Hi All,
In a column which appeared in today’s (Fri 10-28) Times Picayune, Jarvis DeBerry says,” I’m struggling these days with profound bouts of sadness. My city’s gone. And no matter how often I try to look on the bright side, the truth is that even that side is pretty dim.”

My personal sadness is mitigated by my “dual” residency- New Orleans, and the Twin Cities. I have another home to return to when my job here is finished. I have a safe home in St Paul, with an established life, with caring friends, with stability and context. I am fairly certain that I will be enjoying “First Snow” in Minnesota with those I am close to. Most people in New Orleans don’t have that emotional certainty.

Most of the areas that were destroyed in New Orleans East were TRUE neighborhoods. Many of these neighborhoods had individual identities and names much like small towns. Some areas even have their own distinct accents which an experienced Nwalins ear can identify. Many of the residents had lived their entire lives in the same house, and their extended families lived within walking distance. Many had worked for the same company all their lives, or owned a local shop. Home ownership in these areas was high. The older neighborhoods of Chalmette, Arabi, and New Orleans East were Working Class refuges. People lived well within their means, sent their children to school, went to a neighborhoods church, took pride in their homes, helped their neighbors, and boiled crawfish in their backyards in the Spring. There was not a lot of extra money or glitz, but the comfortable necessities were available.
These “neighborhoods” are ALL gone.

Yesterday, the last section of the ruined city was briefly opened for bus tours through the worst of the devastation. Another Picayune reporter wrote about some of the heart wrenching experiences as these former residents were given a first look at their homes and neighborhoods two months after the storm. “I talked to a woman …(who lamented) that she had lost her home, her grocery store, her church, and that her children were spread out all over the country. She had lost her whole New Orleans experience.”




There is still much uncertainty in New Orleans. Various experts disagree on what the near future holds for New Orleans and surrounding areas. Some say that New Orleans will never recover. The city has been in decline since the 60s, and Katrina will push it over the tipping point. Too many businesses have already relocated in other cities with no plans to return. The loss of jobs will doom the suburbs as suburbanites lose the ability to pay mortgages. Property values will plummet, and the western commuter suburbs (Metairie) will become ghost towns. New Orleans will survive only as a “Theme Park” tourist destination in the French Quarter and a narrow crescent of Historical Homes along a section of St Charles.

Others, like the mayor, are singing a different song necessarily optimistic.
They are planning a Mardi Gras, and launching a publicity campaign to entice residents and businesses back to the city. The fact that this publicity campaign is necessary is a bad sign.

Like most people, I don’t have a clue what the near future holds for New Orleans, and that is unsettling. I do have one certainty; I will soon be returning to my home in St Paul.
My job here is almost complete. I should be driving North after the weekend.

I have spent very little time in areas other than the one in which I have been working.
I initially attempted to document the destruction with my camera, but that task is overwhelming. I grew very tired of taking pictures of ruined houses. I still try to talk to the people who have lost everything, but no longer wish to intrude with my camera. My mind is unable to comprehend the enormous size of this loss.

After a month in this ruined city, I thought I had become jaded to Katrina destruction. Over the weeks, the “incredible” has become the norm. I have worked daily inside flood-ruined homes. I have seen the pictures and TV video of St Benard and Lakeview. I thought that there was nothing more to be learned or experienced, and that venturing into these areas would only feed some ghoulish voyeurism. I was wrong.
Yesterday, my schedule permitted a trip into Lakeview. I was interested in obtaining close-up pictures of the collapsed 17th St Floodwall (not Levee) from the “wet side”. I was overwhelmed by the enormity of the destruction immediately below the collapsed floodwall. All of the water that drowned New Orleans flowed through this gap (New Orleans East is a separate case). It was like a dam bursting. A friend accompanied me, and within minutes all we could say was, “Oh My God!” over and over again.

The following pictures were all taken within the last 24 hours.


This is the first street immediately downstream from the collapsed floodwall.
The breech is immediately to the left of the car in front of me.



This is the view downstream from the breech.





The above are all from an area of a few blocks downstream from the breech.






But not all is gloom, doom, ruined houses and fractured lives. There was brief joy and rebirth last night. I made my first trip into the Quarter since Katrina. Some West Louisiana oysters have become available in New Orleans. They are rare and expensive, but worth the price.


This is an appetizer dish of 1 dozen fried oysters served over Blue Cheese dressing with a hint of Tabasco. They were sublime.

Followed by the main course;

The front dish is Hickory BBQ Redfish with crabmeat dressing over cubed potatoes.
The rear dish is blackened Redfish Pecan over rice.
Just as I lack words to describe the destruction of New Orleans, I also lack the words to describe this meal.

The initial estimates were that Gulf Oysters would be unavailable for at least 2 years. Testing by the authorities revealed that the polluting “runoff” from the flood bypassed many local oyster beds, and they are being certified individually (bed by bed) for consumption. Local fresh oysters should be available in just a few weeks!
I was ready to do the “happy dance” when I heard this news.


More later.
Bob
New Orleans

[dflprincess]

1. As always, incredible pictures

Glad to hear from you, I was thinking as I logged on tonight that it was time to pm you and see how you were doing.

[katinmn]

2. Great update, bvar!

Look forward to seeing you when you return.

My heart goes out to all who have lost their homes and communities.

:grouphug:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Thanks for the update, bvar!

New Orleans always struck me as being a very organic city, one that could grow up only in that unique geography and history. A "theme park" restoration would be more reminiscent of (ugh!) Las Vegas than of the real city.

I hope the old city, or at least its spirit, can rise through the mud.

[bvar22]

4. Thanks.

Also thanks katinmn & dflprincess. :hi:

New Orleans IS organic, also very feminine and seductive.

One of the mayor's early proposals to bring "quick revenue" to New Orleans was to "invite" the Las Vegas speculators in to build a "Las Vegas Style" casino district.
I cringed. Most locals cringed. He was quickly smacked down, and doesn't mention this "idea" anymore.
Most locals would "rather drink dirty water and live in a hollow log".

I will see you soon!
Bob

[Zookeeper]

5. Great photos! Thanks for an insiders view.

What exactly IS the deal with the mayor? Is he on the side of the New Orlean's elite that reportedly is thrilled by the possibility of getting rid of the poor (especially, black) people? I can't quite figure him out.

[dpbrown]

6. Wow, Bob...thank you for touching us with your experience

I feel a little like I felt this noon hour when I heard children singing about peace on the Al Franken show. Sad, and moved.