You don’t get a lot of sleep when there are 5 people on the bus. But you do get a lot of laughs. Sleep you can find anywhere, so it’s a fair enough trade. All of us except Tim, who’s been fighting off something for the past few days, got up early. Robin, Kate and I dropped off Collin to go try and quickly download an iPhone app for his golf (in)ability before playing 18 and we headed over to the Lower 9th Ward, which is – if you don’t know – the hardest hit area of Katrina.
Ironic that only a few nights ago we were discussing Alan Weisman’s ‘The World Without Us‘, as the grounds that once waged the one-sided war of nature vs. man were basically that. Wastelands. Something out of an art house film. What once housed the most concentrated population of poverty now simply held sadness. ‘X’s’ on doors denoting who came out alive and who didn’t. The realization that the walls who’s shade dwarfed us were only a few years ago submerged. It was suffocating – despite the efforts of many to make something out of the ashes. One of those was another art installation of Prop 1, an ark made out of the debris [photo, below]. The other was Brad Pitt’s ‘Make It Right’ project – amazing in theory, but whoever allowed the early 80’s wave and pastel colors might want to realize it looks to some as a child intentionally spilling applesauce down their shirt in order for the neighbors to question his parent’s cleanliness. We drove around a few more areas, stopped for some charity vintage shopping at an amazing German couples home, but had to leave. Places like this, Auschwitz, S-21, etc, are important to take-in, but too much time there can sour your view against everything. Add to this the ‘Disaster Tour’ buses piling by, and more people taking photos of the levies than Jackson Square these days and it just gets…thick.
Now – the thing about Louisiana is that, yes, it’s been cold (40’s), but with this + humidity means amazing light and cloudless skies. So we picked up a cup of Chicory (Collin claimed it was more of a 4pm drink, but we did it anyway), split a muffuletta and just bummed in-and-out of the quaint little shops off of French Street. A mandatory drink in our favorite bar, Flanaagan’s and we said ‘goodbye’ to Kate and Collin, originally planning on seeing them tomorrow, but eager to take off these layers and find a nice cozy place in Key Largo, we’ll leave in the morning.
See ya, N’Awlins. You’re a good town, but still a bit heavy for me…
[Note: I would like to point out I nabbed one of the best photos of my life a few years back here. Worth a peek!]
[Note #2: I would also like to thank the nice Canadian couple to our right who calmly suggested that I 'might be in the wrong R.V.' as I, along with Guinness, the large black lab who went barreling into their home at 3-to-midnight, instead of shooting me.]
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You’re right, man. That’s a brilliant photo. Geezus.