New Orleans - Day 1 - Day of Bad Luck

The place I stayed at in Biwater - used to be a bad neighborhood - note the gates on the windows

The last time we saw this storage facility the entire side of the building had been ripped off


This is one point at which the levees broke in Lakeview



These FEMA markings could be found on ALL houses in New Orleans

Typical FEMA trailer

Someone's idea of humour

My friends walking the Causeway because both vehicles are being repaired



So my first day in New Orleans was fraught with a thread of bad luck. First I was stopped by airport security and found out that my driver's license had expired so I had to use my passport (this expired license was somewhat symbolic of my expired life in New Orleans). Next we waited at the airstrip for 20 airplanes which were ahead of ours, which delayed my flight about 45 minutes. Then on the airplane we went through tubulence and dropped our altitude rather rapidly multiple times which scared me thoroughly. At that moment I realized I still believe in a higher power even while my scientific self argued that the conditions were fine and that the weather couldn't be bad enough to end it now and bring my unlived life to a close.

After I arrived in New Orleans, on the drive back with the friends I was staying with, the car stalled. Fortunately we were able to get it started again but this happened again and finally we decided to put it in the shop. The man who serviced us was a slick willy and spent 20 minutes to finally tell us that the computer diagnostic for symptomatically was obviously the fuel filter, would cost $80. Today we will not find out what will happen to the car. So my buddy and I were sitting outside the repair shop with no transportation waiting on his wife. After a while I asked him to give her a call and see where she was. She was at home and had forgotten us. So we crossed a major roadway, on foot, Causeway Boulevard, and made our way to Pucchino Cafe where we bought overpriced Frappachino type drinks.

His wife arrived shortly. So next we realized that the van had a bad tire. We took it to Goodyear and they saw a rip. After checking it out, they realized both back tires were bad so the damage was $204.

Once we retrieved the van, we took a ride through Lakeside and witnessed the destruction which was still present. I also took my first look at the breached levy. The city still has many problems and there are many areas that are so devastated that I wonder whether they will ever be rebuilt.

The living situation was not ideal. The apartment did not have easy access to the French Quarter so it was only possible to drive there and back which made me completely dependent on other people for transportation. I did not have my laptop with me and they only had one laptop which they used at the nearby café with free wireless which was only open until 10PM so I barely got any internet time.

New Orleans is a place of give and take. Some streets are full of life, others devoid thereof. Some shops are open, others closed. Some houses are liveable, others aren't. This is not a whole healed city, it is a city of scattered regeneration.