New Orleans: Discovering the Big Easy

This is a slight detour for those expecting to continue on the Danube, and with my Christmas preparations and ear infection, I'm posting it even later than planned.  So, going back to November 2009, I had the opportunity to attend a work-related conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.  I had never been to New Orleans before and had some mixed feelings about the city known as The Big Easy.  I thought about images of the destruction of hurricane Katrina and wild Mardi Gras celebrations as well as reports of dirty, dangerous streets and sweltering heat, but I decided to see for myself.

What a pleasant surprise!  In late November, the climate was pleasant (with some cool rain);  people were welcoming and kind;  the food, of course, was fabulous (tasty gumbo, jambalaya, pralines, beignets) ; the crowds were reasonable; the streets were clean; and festive holiday decorations were appearing around town.  My toes were tapping from the minute I heard jazz in my hotel's elevator.  There was such a happy, energetic, yet relaxed, feel to the city.  Although I used taxis to travel at night and was careful where I walked on my own, I found myself quite at ease in The Big Easy.

It had been four years since Katrina,  and the tourist/ historic areas (French Quarter, Central Business, Warehouse, and Garden districts) where I spent most of my time showed little damage and much charm.  New Orleans' greatest devastation from Katrina was more inland where the levees protecting the inner city from Lake Pontchartrain failed.  My convention was held at the Convention Center, and the Super Dome  was not far from my hotel, reminding me of the great suffering of the people after Katrina.   My convention offered the opportunity to work on homes in the still devastated areas of the town, but I had to cancel as I had sprained my wrist and couldn't use the tools.

Between conference sessions (ok--I skipped a few),  I explored the river side and French Quarter and took the famed St. Charles trolley past the elegant homes of yesteryear in the Garden District.   I had a great dinner at Tommy's and enjoyed jazz at The Howlin' Wolf  with a bar that came from Al Capone's hotel in Chicago and an outside mural painted by the renowned artist Michalopoulos. There was a great "scat" singer that night who created amazing instrumental sounds with her voice.

On my last day, I took the trolley to the city's Po'Boy Festival.  I had never been completely clear if there was a difference between a sandwich and a po'boy.  I concluded that a po'boy is anything you can put between bread and eat.  There were some pretty interesting combinations offered, including fried bread pudding in a bun (a bread sandwich?).

This past year was a great one for New Orleans.  At the Po'Boy Festival, crowds were gathered around large tv sets to watch their football team, The Saints, score another win, and they continued to cheer on their team to a Superbowl victory.   Disney studios released The Princess and the Frog, a very American adaptation  of The Frog Prince set
 in New Orleans (I loved the music and the story).   And the city continued to repair itself in preparation for the 5 year anniversary of Katrina in fall 2010.  While New Orleans still has difficult problems to deal with, I sensed that they have regained their pride and spirit.  The folk I met in "Nawlins" really wanted me to like their city.  And I did.

Next post: New Orleans: the French Quarter.  I will return to the Danube in a couple of weeks.

Click link  for slideshow: The Big Easy
Music:  Kermit Ruffins, "Drop Me Off in New Orleans," Putumayo World Music: New Orleans