the big easy.

the last time i went on a family vacation, i was in grade 12. so, it has been awhile since the fleming family all got together and took the world by a storm. as a christmas gift, my parents surprised andrew and i with a week-long cruise out of new orleans. to be completely honest, i was most excited with our days in new orleans before the cruise!

we flew in via phili on december 28th with no problems. considering MANY people on our cruise had flight delays and tornado warnings when they arrived on the 30th, we were very lucky. i knew that hurricane katrina had severely devasted new orleans, but aside from the immediate coverage in 2005, i was really unaware of the current state of the city. i was excited for two days of music, soul and good food but i was also looking forward to an eye-opening, sobering experience.

my first impression was the sheer emptiness at the airport. there were absolutely no planes, and very few people. new orleans is certainly not a hub airport, but i didn't expect it to be so dead. since katrina, tourist rates have severely dropped off, and the population of the city has been depleted by half. full neighbourhoods and completely empty. driving through suburbs, there are no cars, no children playing in the streets and few open businesses. certain areas look like ghost towns. cab drivers and tour operators kept telling us how thankful they were that we had come to visit, and for our contribution to the local economy.

upon arrival at our hotel in the french quarter, there is less indication that anything has changed. the french quarter was almost completely unaffected by the flooding after the storm. tourists seemingly swarmed the strip clubs along bourbon street (although apparently it still looks empty to many residents), restaurants have lines that snake out the door, and street performers play to large crowds. however, after converstation with several locals, we learned that many businesses have only recently re-opened, that street performers have only begun to entertain and return to the city, and that many residents still have to rebuild their entire lives and houses.

one tour operator asked that we tell others the truth about new orleans. the truth is, i have never visited a more welcoming, lively, colourful city in my life. it is so obvious that residents love their city, and are so proud of where they live. tourists are visiting, businesses are being rebuilt and residents are gradually filtering back into the city. however, new orleans is not yet alright. they say it will be decades before the city fully recovers. the news has not done justice of reporting the real situation in the city: flooding has demolished entire communities, and nothing has been done. houses are still overturned in the ninth ward. emergency trailors have been donated by the government for residents to live in while they rebuild their homes, but many are inoperable due to a shortage of electricians to hook them up to power. crime and vandalism runs rampant.

the best thing we can do for new orleans is to visit, and to contribute to their local economy. the city is damaged - but it is far from a lost cause. however, if you DO visit new orleans, do not keep yourself isolated to only the french quarter, where less has changed. venture out into where the majority of the city lived, where they swarmed the superdome, and hid in attics during the three weeks of flooding after the storm. while i was there, 40,000 students from various universities were participating in a habitat for humanity project in the ninth ward.

my days in new orleans were amazing: i ate delicious fried chicken, and beignets; listened to dr. john at a local jazz club; and met incredible local citizens who have taken on the enormous job of loving new orleans back to life.