I had five reactions to New Orleans during Jazz Fest 2006.
- The Flood Line — you will notice that there is no flood line on this building. Entire neighborhoods are filled with homes and stores where the flood line was still there, 9 months later.
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Hurricane Damage — there were two types of "destruction" in the city, hurricane damage that had not been repaired and demolition because of the flood. The photo on the right is a building on the corner from where we stay in the Faubourg Marigny. This block is 14 feet above sea level. The flood waters came up to the curb here. Lake Ponchitrain average depth is 11 feet.
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Driving halfway across town to get to a grocery store. The five nearer ones were all closed. Flood damage.
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Ready for tourists if not for residents. The areas of the city where tourists flock were for the most part, open and ready for business. On the other hand, entire neighborhoods were totally empty. Except for the flood line, which was basically still there.
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Empty. Monday between the music. The city has empty. As in busineses closed. On the second saturday of Jazz Fest, we were in a resturant in Carrolton. We were the only customers.
Bottom line? Go visit New Orleans. And leave some money behind. Don't forget WWOZ. And let me know if Armstrong Park is open.