Dear UK
Have just driven into Lafayette, on the recommendation of Barry Yeoman. Barry is a writer that was staying in the same B&B as me in New Orleans. But hey, I've skipped a bit....
Florida all now seems months ago, funny how travelling does that to you. Anyway back to Interstate 10 (
motorway). I drove through Alabama, only stopping briefly at the Tourist Info place, wandered around to stretch my legs and drove on to Missisippi. Had to fill up with gas (
petrol) and saw a working port exit. Seemed like a good idea.
Now I still have ingrained in me much of my Father's Teachings and one such little pearl is to go off the beaten track, to seek out the natives, to drive down a fabulous looking drive and say 'sorry I'm lost' if approached. With this in mind I fearlessly travel to corners of the globe as a modern day frontiersman....or, nosey parker depending on your slant...... Anyway, back to the sea port. So here I am squished in between huge gigantic lorries on route to the dockside. Too late to turn off now even if I wanted to. Another of Father's Teachings; don't look like a tourist. So I muster a very casual pose, pretend to chew gum (
I think I did buy some at a gas station) and hope that the effect is that I am picking up my partner at the dock. As I get closer I am in awe, the flat swampy lands I have been in now suddenly end and the important working edge of the Missisippi unfolds. I pull over and get out of the car, look around and get my camera out. From nowhere 2 big burly men stride towards me, the huge black man shouting, 'hey, wha ya doin?' (
or words to that effect). I wasn't convinced a 'sorry I'm lost' would work in this scenario so with my heart pounding, I bloted to the car and literally squealed the car out of there without looking back.
Back on I 10 I calmed down, giggled, rejoiced I had my trainers on and thought the blokes were probably thinking 'stupid little idiot'!!!
After that I sojourned into Lousianna and drifted into New Orleans.
I'm going to try and keep this bit short, well shortish. I hadn't been to New Orleans before and was a little unsure of what to expect post Katrina. AS I pulled in, even from I 10 you can start to see the devastation. It just goes on and on, literally. I have never seen anything like it. And neither had America which is why they are still struggling to sort it all out. I did a wrong turn and ended up in an area that the tourist center had said to avoid, so when I realised that I was the only white face around it did spook me. I found the B&B that I'd wanted to stay in; just outside the French Quarter. The houses around it were all battered and bruised and I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing by staying there, they had keys, locks and gates everywhere. That night I was really tired and stayed in. I met Barry who was checking out that night, he'd been there a week doing a follow up artical on people Post Katrina for a National magazine.
In the morning I had a wonderful breakfast, met other guests and took a cab ride into the French Quarter as advised. Well what a difference the day makes. I realised that the tourist person had scared me more than I needed to be, if you see what I mean. I ventured out to Bourbon Street, naturally. Sampled a Bourbon, yuk, won't have that again, definitely not my cup of tea. Wandered the back streets, in and out of shops, museums and even into a White Elephant Fete. Life was buzzing.
One thing I did do was an organised Tour. It was called the Post Katrina Tour. As well as the French Quarter we saw and understood how the aftermath of Katrina had wiped out the City. I found the whole thing disturbing. I was struggling with wanting to see and feeling like a vulture. Not so my seated neighbour who was driving me to distraction when she pushed herself over me and clicked her ancient camera yet again saying, 'hey that's a good one'. I couldn't speak!
I sort of knew what she meant, we were all taking pictures of the 'sights' and they were steadily getting more and more horrifying. The 9th Ward was hit, in my opinion, the worst. Not only did they not expect any damage, after all they lived far away from the river etc, many of them had their homes wiped away by the aftermath and then filled with oil from the burst refinery. And you know the thing that gets me in all of this, people are still arguing how to resolve much of it.
I'm afraid the Levees caused much of the problem, they weren't built as per the plans and I don't think they should be there anyway. You shouldn't fight Nature and expect no payback. The Missisippi has been winding and changing direction for all time what do you expect if you try and contain it?
But the scale is so huge, it really is, it touches wealthy white folk and poor people of colour alike. Everyone in New Orleans has been affected by this, I mean everyone.
They are now rebuilding sections but it does all come down to money and influence.
You have your Oprah, Brad Pitt and other 'celebrity' villages. And I'm not sure how I feel about that yet. I do intend to return on my way back, it's just a lot to take in.
I would end that bit by saying, I did see lots of positive things and my overiding memory was that the place looked like a SciFi film set but the camaraderie and hope of the New Orleans folk was humbling and satisfying.
Now yesterday was, Day of the Plantation. I visited many, understood the difference between a Creole and American Plantation and finally spent the night at an American Plantation. It was great. Well parts of it were. Will catch up with that later. Must get out and see Downtown, see ya........xxxxx
