Day 7, Part 2: Cajuns!

Once we washed up from the block party, we piled into our two vans and headed to the Lower Ninth Ward. If you remember, the Lower Ninth was hit particularly hard by floodwaters from Katrina. Residents in this section of town had to scramble to their rooftops and wait in order to survive. Many houses were literally pushed off of their foundations and set somewhere else--on top of another house, or car, or boat a couple blocks over.

Several of us were very anxious to see the Lower Ninth because we had been there before. When a few of us went, there were lots of houses and debris that hadn't been touched. Houses were still resting on cars, the street signs were made by do-it-yourselfers with cardboard and paint. It looked as though Katrina had happened a few months ago rather than a few years. We were hoping to see improvement and forward motion.

For those who had never seen the Lower Ninth, it was hard to know what to expect. We saw the devastation as we watched the news broadcasts back in 2005 and we relived that experience when our team gathered to watch "When the Levees Broke." But how could we imagine what we might see in the Ninth Ward?

But as we drove through, we had an encouraging as well as an eye-opening experience. Those who had been there before rejoiced at the sight of real street signs, a homeowner re-bricking his foundation, and clean, debris-free streets. We laughed out loud to see a group of jr. high boys playing basketball in the street--last time we had been here, the streets were deserted. It was a ghost town. But the Lower Ninth is indeed coming back. Between lot after lot of emptiness with vague footprints of a foundation, there are new homes and, in them, original homeowners from before the storm. Although it is still a disturbing sight to see a neighborhood that was once wall-to-wall houses reduced to something more similar to a country subdivision with grass and garbage for lots on end, we left with an overall feeling of hope.

Not to mention, we gawked at the Make-It-Right homes being funded and erected through an organization run by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. These homes are state-of-the-art, gorgeous works of art that run completely green energy. Better yet, we're pretty sure they're being sold/given to returning homeowners at a cost they can afford. You can read more about the project at http://www.makeitrightnola.org.

After being encouraged by the residents of the Lower Ninth, we drove on to experience a radically different part of the city: The French Quarter. We freely roamed about Jackson Square viewing the art of street vendors and ignoring pitches for tarot and palm readings. It was a perfect day--warm with a light breeze, perfect for skirts, shorts, and short sleeves. After an hour or so of wandering in and out of some boutiques we stopped at Mama Fiorella's for the best food we had in our lives.

At least, that's what it seemed like. Maybe we were just hungry.

The distinct New Orleans/Cajun flavor was in everything, and it was fantastic. Several of us ordered red beans and rice with sausage or a porkchop. Others got fried chicken, shrimp, po'boys, pasta...it was all good, and it was all New Orleans. (Truthfully, my mouth is watering as I type. No kidding.)

After dinner, we turned out on the town in smaller groups to grab souvenirs for family and friends. We trekked over to Bourbon Street for a picture by the sign posts and some of our braver souls wandered farther down to explore. We returned to Jackson Square to meet up and, much to our delight, found ourselves in the middle of a second line parade for a wedding held in the cathedral on the square. A live jazz band serenaded the couple with fast, dancy jazz while their attendants and audience waved parasols and hankerchiefs. It was a beautiful wedding procession that brought joy to everybody nearby---because it was just plain FUN! A couple of us stole a bit of their thunder by dancing to the music they provided. It was an experience unlike any other--a joyous bit of the New Orleans rich life that, for a moment, we were a part of.

To conclude our evening, we walked over to Cafe DuMonde --a famous historical hotspot for coffee and beignets. We showed off our trinkets and treasured to one another and indulged in the best beignets on the planet. (For those who don't know, a beignet is kind of like a fried doughnut topped with powdered sugar....but WAY better.)

Finally, after our night of a little indulgence and fun, we returned to Yellow House (and Franklin House) for about 5 hours of rest.

Morning--and our trip home--is certain to dawn to soon. But this was a great ending to our trip.

Blessings,

March '09 Team