No Title.

I have been in New Orleans about... three or so weeks, now, and I have to say this city has very much exceeded my expectations. I asked a lot of people who had been here what they thought of the city, and the general feeling was this: "I enjoyed my visit, but I wouldn't choose to live there." So I came here excited, nervous, but with admittedly low expectations.

I heard a LOT of complaints about how dirty and run-down the city was, even before Katrina, with people assuming that it must be worse now. I also heard that New Orleans had a reputation for being really dangerous, and was warned numerous times to never be out alone anywhere, but especially at night...

First of all, the city is NOT that run-down. I've been all up and down this city and I don't think it's any more run-down than any other city I've been to. However, most American cities have a few bad areas that are fairly well isolated. New Orleans is instead a "checkerboard" city, meaning that the bad neighborhoods are well mixed in with the good neighborhoods. You could live in a nice area, but be a few blocks from a bad one (as is the case with our neighborhood). I also noticed that most of the suburbs surrounding the city are sorta junky, which I think is unusual as well. But the city itself, the busier areas, the tourist areas, the heavily populated areas... they're all very well maintained, and perfectly clean.

As for it being dangerous, I guess that might be true. I have been told by locals that if you use your head, it's not hard to avoid any danger. That means don't go wander around bad neighborhoods alone at night. But who does that anyway? I was also told that the violence is often gang related anyway. But more importantly, I have walked around alone at night (in well lit areas, with people around, I'm not an idiot). I've also been to places alone during the day many times, and I have not once seen any sort of foul play. Nobody has tried to bother me at all and in fact I'd say I've been bothered less than when I walk around San Francisco alone.

The point is, so far I've seen that New Orleans is a beautiful place with wonderful people who really have pride in their city and take good care of it as much as they can. Three weeks is enough time to realize that a) this place is WAY WAY better than Los Angeles, b) this place is better than Atlanta, and c) it even gives San Francisco a run for its money. And unlike MOST cities around the US, people from New Orleans are very very welcoming to tourists and out-of-towners in general. Try finding that in many places!

This is the ferry terminal. This is how
we get to the French Quarter, a
half mile across the river.

Having lunch by the ferry at a local cafe.
This was taken during my cousin's visit this
past week (that is not me).

Trying to take a photo of the square
by the French Quarter. I instead got a photo
of a time traveling horse.

Outside the French Quarter.

One of the many beautiful balconies
in the FQ.

Rock star dog.

Eating my first beignet at Cafe

Du Monde. Almost choked to death
on powdered sugar. That stuff should
really come with some sort of warning...

By the end of it, my cousin and I were both
covered in powdered sugar. Glad to see we
weren't the only ones having problems.