Oh when the Saints go marching in......

Oh Boy....those Saints really marched in last night and kicked some Patriot butt. What a night in the French Quarter. We retired early, so we didn't participate in the "victory" celebration, but we knew what was about to erupt as we picked in different bars and saw just how rowdy everyone got when the Saints did something significant. During (and after) Katrina, there was SO much sadness in the city of New Orleans, one would wonder if they would ever celebrate again.
Salt and I ran down to a small diner for breakfast and this was the morning after quiet we were met with......deflating memories of a good time.

We wanted to do some walking in the daylight hours so we could see some of the city. Unfortunately we had rain most of the day so our walk was cut short and most of my pictures have rain drops on them....oh well, at least I have enough to keep the memories!!

I love some of the balconies in the French Quarter....the gardens are so pretty.

Something I never knew.....The city of New Orleans actually "perfumes" their streets. While we were on the tour, we saw all these men out washing down the streets and all of this white residue was mixed in the water....it's a lemon fragrance. I guess it's probably a good thing, with all the partying they do. I wouldn't even want to imagine what was on them the night before!!

Trying to take pictures in the rain was not conducive to great pictures but at least I documented the highlights of the tour. We went through both St. Bernard's Parrish and the 9th Ward.... the two major areas that were destroyed in Katrina.. It is amazing how many buildings still stand untouched. There has been a lot of progress since Salt and I traveled through 3 years ago but a lot of the people took the money from insurance and FEMA and left town. When they accepted the FEMA money it was earmarked for renovation. Another government blunder....what can you dow now. Track them down and try to get blood from a stone....I think NOT!!

This is one of many cemeteries, that just amaze me. Everyone knows the reason for the bodies being buried above ground (with the city being below sea level, with not much rain/flooding, the bodies would float away) but.....it still is overwhelming to see all the above ground tombs. The burial process www.itold.com/articles/453/new-orleans-cemetaries is unbelievable. Our tour driver, who was born and raised in the French Quarter was a history genius, and told some pretty amazing stories (actual facts). One was about the way the bodies were removed from the wall tomb to be placed in the family tombs (at least a year later). Supposedly they take a 10' pole to push the old bodies out of the way before putting the new ones.....hence the phrase, "I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole. Another story (supposedly true) was the fact after the year the body was decomposing, when they would open the coffin to put the body in the family tomb, they would find scratch marks on the top of the coffin.....because there were so many bodies both during the war and the plagues, they were actually burring people alive (because they were in a coma state and back then they had no medical knowledge of this state). SO....they would put a hole in the side of the coffin attach a string to the victim's finger with a bell attached. If they came out of the coma, the bell would ring......hence...."saved by the bell"....

This is a most interesting shrine.....dedicated to St. Roch, the patron saint of miraculous cures and dogs. www.strochproject.com/neighborhood.html . It is a long story, so those interested, would be best served by checking the link.

Within the chapel, besides a statue of St. Roch, there is a room designated for crutches, prostheses, etc. that people who were cured, left behind. All of the cases are documented by the catholic church.

Here is a wider view of the cemetery....amazing!

We then went through the 9th ward and were able to see many of the houses Brad Pitt has been instrumental in rebuilding. www.lifewithoutbuildings.net/.../brad-pitts-make-it-right-homes-now-under-construction.html

Some of them are pretty funky looking, but very "green" energy efficient.

We then passed "musicians row" www.usatoday.com/life.../2007-08-052292517055_x.htm

a project started by Harry Connic, jr to provide homes for musicians who lost their homes in Katrina. Many people felt that if the musicians had no homes to come back to, it would be devastating to the city if they were not there to carry on the music tradition.

These homes are built by Habitat for Humanity.....

We stopped in the Basin St Depot for a coffee and bathroom break. This is an old train station which has been totally renovated for use of an information area.

The most prestigious girls academy in the state.

After leaving the French Quarter and entering what is referred to as the American section, it like the difference between night and day. The antebellum mansions are awe inspiring.....

This was the home of Ann Rice (she has since moved to another state to be with her son) and where she wrote her early novel Interview with the Vampire. New Orleans is the home of many "vampires" and "ghosts". As a matter of fact there are 44 documented buildings that are haunted. The most paranormal activity is at the newly built Borders bookstore, which was built on the site of an old funeral home. MIT is coming in to measure the activity in all of the buildings. Sometime after that study a book is being written on the results...this info comes from a tour guide. Many of the ghosts that have been seen are Confederate soldiers.....believe it or not, it is very interesting!!! According to the gentleman working the front desk of our hotel, a bride was married in the hotel courtyard and when her wedding pictures came back there was a Confederate soldier, as plain as day in one of the pictures.

There is still so much we want to do and see in this city that we didn't have time to do (and inclement weather). We are planning on stopping on our way home and doing a lot more.