Some Final Shots and Thoughts for NOLA
Well, sports fans, and all who aren't, here is my last blog that is mainly about New Orleans.
We met a lot of friendly people and had great personal experiences in our few days here. Good food in all the places we ate, tourist focused and places where only the locals go. There are a couple examples in today's uploads. Lily's Cafe on Magazine and the St. Charles Tavern should be looked up if you're in the area. The continental breakfast over at the main hotel was pretty light. Cereal, rolls, yogurt and fruit cocktail cups. When the breakfast bar at the Prytania Arms was open on our first morning there were fresh, full size waffles. We hit the St. Charles Tavern for our last 2 mornings. Home fries, eggs and creole dishes available 24 hrs/day. I had the Shrimp Ettouffe omelet special this morning. To die for!
If you find yourself near Opaloosa and are looking for a place to eat, check our Pappy's Opaloosa Crawfish Grill. We had the Cajun Girl and Cajun Boy Po'boys for lunch. Shrimp, andouille sausage, onions, the Girl includes crabmeat, sautéed not fried and delicious.
I also got a shot of a home's side yard down by Coliseum Square in order to capture their unique yard pet. I wonder if it's there to keep out dogs, cats and kids. You have to walk the neighborhoods and watch for the unusual ways they decorate.
New Orleans is a beautiful city that is being allowed to crumble, literally. Sidewalks and streets are falling apart. The grass in Coliseum park and the small one nearby at Magazine and Felicity is knee high. (On leaving today we saw a team at Coliseum finally mowing the lawn.). Street cave-ins where sewer lines appear to be broken and undermining the street are simply marked with barrels. It's truly sad.
Maybe they do it as a public safety initiative. You can't board or blade on the sidewalks or exceed 15 - 20 mph on the residential, and many arterial, streets for fear of damaging yourself or your car. Sure there are low taxes, but that also goes with low wages. $2.19/hrs for one barista who told us his tips are taxed at 30%. And, the state legislature is arguing on what to cut to cover a $284 M budget shortfall, AFTER they grant tax breaks to petrochemical corporations so they can build automated plants, which require maybe 25 people to operate. No long term benefits will come from employment, only during construction, using non-union labor at low pay and benefits.
I saw a bumper sticker that said it all. It's on a POS Lincoln w/ a fucking club on the wheel. The sticker was printed with "Louisiana, third world and proud of it". It says it all. The last major city that I was in that equaled NOLA in decrepitude against an amazing history and architecture was Naples 10 years ago. It's so fucking sad. Prices in the Quarter's businesses equal or exceed the prices in downtown Seattle yet the city has infrastructure that resembles a favella. Shop owners we spoke with in the area are resigned to the situation. It seems they've given up hope of anything better. Just remember not to step in any water in the Quarter, especially along Bourbon Street, because there's a good chance it's not water.
Tomorrow, on to Tulsa.
Ciao.