The Katrina Effect

I had arrived in New Orleans with a certain sense of unease about my latest location. My desire to see this City despite the events and aftermath of Katrina had brought me here but I was never really sure what to expect. The news coverage of the place had all but died away months ago and I was aware that they were trying to rebuild but the information I was getting was that this was happening at a slow pace. There was certainly a mixed reaction from friends and family to me going here and with good reason I suppose. No one really knew what the place would be like now. Least of all me but I sure as hell planned on finding out.

The devastation caused by Katrina was pretty evident right from the off. Walking up from the hostel towards the French Quarter many of the houses didn't look like they'd been touched since the hurricane swept through. Doors broken or non existent, windows smashed in and just places no better than in ruins. Dirt watermarks could be seen a good couple of meters up on most of the buildings I hadn't really expected the evidence to be so stark, so blatant.

At the riverfront it felt like a ghost town. Barely a soul could be seen anywhere and the kiosks that once would have sold river trips were now vacant. It was an eerie feeling to say the least. I imagined this area would once have been thriving, full of tourists but was now a lost town in its own City.



I spoke to a few people around the hostel or in town. A few were there helping to rebuild the City. They'd been doing it for months and it seemed there was no end in sight just now. The finger of blame has been pointed all around but in truth no single party can be responsible for whats happened or happening. Its a City that has almost been forgotten about but is as much in need now as it was when Katrina hit.

The French Quarter remained largely untouched by the hurricane and Bourbon Street is still thriving. Its vibrant, sleazy debauchery and good time groove still pulse away and it still has a captivating edge. Its people numbers were down to 75% of what they were at its peak and one can imagine the sheer energy the place would have generated with 3 or 4 times more visitors. Its essence is still there and hopefully one day it can get back to its former glories.


Through it all though New Orleans still seems capable of having a laugh at its own expense. T-Shirt stalls abound with Katrina references and possibly only in the Big Easy would you get away with shirts bearing "Katrina gave me the best blow job I've ever had" or "FEMA - Fix Everything My Ass". I wondered how the residents felt about these slogans or those who lost loved ones to the events. Would they be able to laugh at these? I never did find out the answer to that one but I like to think that its a positive move rather than a negative one. I think I may be hoping for too much but after all New Orleans is a law unto itself and a place like no other!