There are many routes that lead to New Orleans. I have a vivid memory of a British cinema advertisement for Southern Comfort that shows everyone congregating in a bar during a hurricane. It is such a happy place, helped by the liqueur created by one of the city's bartenders, that everyone is disappointed to hear the announcement that the hurricane has passed. Joy returns when the announcer points out that it is still raining so the party can continue.
The advertisement is never likely to be used again. Hurricane Katrina, unlike the fictional Francis, hit New Orleans with a calamitous force. The worst ever civil engineering disaster to hit the United States befell New Orleans when the levee system failed. Many people were trapped in a city that was mostly under water and images were broadcast around the world that showed the world's only Superpower at a loss as to what to do.
It would however be ridiculous to see New Orleans purely through the prisms of disaster and good time jazz parties. It stands out for its food, its culture and its French influence that marks it firmly apart from the former British colonies on the Atlantic coast. It was the banker to the South and though its population was falling long before Katrina hit it hard, it remains one of the largest ports in the world.
If I could sum it up in one word it would be 'intriguing'.
We were staying in a suburb city of New Orleans, Kenner. I was extremely fatigued when I arrived, having made a long journey there from India. The campsite was a fairly standard KOA but a massive improvement for J and Hatty on their previous site in Biloxi Mississippi. This had been a threatening place that they had to leave early - the staff were nice but the people staying there were not and from what I gather the entire area was run-down and menacing. It was an independent site that I had checked out for any warning signs like Confederate Flags or Bible quotations but you do not know for sure until you go.
The following day we visited the famous French Quarter - the Vieux Carré. It is a remarkable place and if you have ever seen it on TV or in a movie then rest assured it looks just the same in real life. The central square had a small jazz band going on and the buildings were amazing - balconies dripping with plants and conveying a sense of languid grandeur. The good fortune of having been built before the levee system meant that it was never dependent on them and sustained little damage in Katrina.
We had Pippin with us so needed to find a place with outside seating. That took a while but we found somewhere and had some perfect Jambalaya with a starter of Alligator (tastes like chicken - we are in the Matrix after all).
I took Pip back to the campsite and in the afternoon we visited the Aquarium. This was recommended online and well worth the visit. There is a huge amount to do and it is presented in a very interesting way. J was taken with the extensive seahorse section. I was much more taken with the enormous central tank and the patrolling sharks.
The journey home was a sobering reminder of the weather. We could see the thunder and lighting as we hurried back to the car. The return journey took us through a torrential, sustained downpour. Luckily Hatty just went to sleep but it was nerve wracking driving in this with such limited visibility and at times concern the car would cut out due to the flooding. I was amazed that so many people did not adjust their driving and continued traveling at speed.
Perhaps for the locals this was just a normal downpour and they would laugh at my concern.
New Orleans is not without its problems and we hardly know it but I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone wanting something a little different.
