Dance Dialogue New Orleans Day 4 March 27th

As I mentioned previously we extended our stay by a day so we could partake of a City/Katrina Tour. Just couldn't get enough of the high life! (Or low, depending on your frame of mind) (Or your lack of Hurricanes, a New Orleans' specialty drink)

Again we left Willie at home, poor guy, and braved the French Quarter in search of a parking spot. Not the easiest thing in a BIG truck. Following the directions on the tour company's website, we made the last turn onto a one way road and found a semi truck stopped in our path. Two other vehicles were also stuck. Then a couple more cars pulled in behind us. Yikes! It took a few minutes but a local merchant helped to clear the mess and informed us that our destination parking lot was closed for some event! Found a spot several blocks away and back-tracked towards the tour office. Thought we'd have time to sample a beignet at Cafe Du Monde but the lines were long so we passed on by.

The Famous Biegnets

Walked up to the tour kiosk and showed our receipt but was told our reservation had been cancelled. Great! We were sent to the main ticket office and paid for and received our tickets. No problem. Well that was weird... Now we wait for our van to arrive, so Bob took this video.

Soon a woman holding a sign arrived and herded us to a bus parked over on Decatur Street. A big bus! And we're off. We learned a lot and the bus driver/tour guide did a great job but it wasn't easy to take pictures from inside the bus. Here's a few...

Fats Domino's house
still uninhabitable since Katrina

Above Ground Cemetery

It's so hard to comprehend the huge effect that Katrina has had on the city.  The 2000 census showed 12.5% of housing units as unoccupied. As of the 2010 census it's at 25%!  Most of the houses are below sea level so it's easy to understand the damage a break in the levee would cause. Many spots the flood level was 10 feet or above. We saw abandoned houses and empty lots where the houses had been demolished leaving only the concrete slab. There are signs of rebuilding but it's such a slow and expensive process. We saw a few of the houses in the ninth ward built by the Brad Pitt's Make it Right Foundation. Brad wasn't there though. Darn!

A Hurricane! Only 8 bucks
Don't tell Bob

Had lunch at Cafe Du Monde where Bob tried a shrimp po'boy and I had the Muffuletta sandwich. Highly recommended by our tour guide! Good yes, but nothing to write home about. Wait I just did!