The Big Easy, Part Deux

What else is there to say about the Big Easy? Probably most importantly, the city is anything but self-pitying. It's full of chintzy t-shirts, a wonderful variety of beads, pralines of every imaginable variety, Abita beer, and of course, the omnipresent fleur-de-lis (which is not, as it turns out, just the symbol for the local football team).

Of course, there's more than natural resiliency at work here. Whatever the best way to move past a natural disaster is psychologically, if you have a city that earns a large part of its revenue from tourism the best way to move forward economically is to get things back to normal, and quickly. Someone told me the first businesses to open on Bourbon Street following Hurricane Katrina were the strip clubs. I'm purposefully choosing not to find out whether or not that's true, though it certainly is interesting.

The other thing about New Orleans is that it's hot. Even in May, the temperatures were in the mid-80's with a stifling humidity. What I enjoyed more than anything (besides seeing Irene) about coming back to New England was the brisk spring air. Always good to be home again.

The Big Easy

I've just returned from Chip's bachelor party in New Orleans and, as promised, this is my blog post about it--although one notably without pictures. My camera was lost to the bayou, never to be found again.

First off, it's probably worth stating that it was not technically a bachelor party. Chip was married in St. Thomas (or some Caribbean Island or another) several months ago and had a corresponding, legally binding marriage in the States sometime shortly thereafter. He's going to have a proper, invite-all-my-friends-and-family-wedding in September of which I am lucky enough to be a part.

So this bachelor party had a slightly different feel, and that, perhaps coupled with the fact that we're all getting a little bit older, made for it being a bit more tame than four nights with your closest friends in New Orleans might suggest.

There was a fan boat tour, a lot of jazz music at bars and such, a healthy dose of Bourbon Street, and some beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde, which everyone says is a must.

More interesting to me, and I assume to you, was exactly what kind of condition New Orleans was in. The French Quarter, being the major driver in New Orleans tourist based economy, was perfect on the surface. If you managed to walk a bit away from Bourbon Street the view changed. The only part of some buildings that still stood was the facade--or perhaps that was the only part that wasn't demolished. The number of vacant houses and offices in the French Quarter, again away from Bourbon Street, was surprising. Even on Bourbon Street, only the first floor of most buildings was rented. The second and third floors were empty.

We'll consider this Part I. Look for future installments soon!