July 29, 2006 - New Orleans, LA
The t-shirts in the shops between the French Quarter and Downtown tell some of the story.
"F - E - M - A (Find Every Mexican Available)"
"New Orleans - Chocolate City, with vanilla flavoring"
The hopeless sideways X's and O's on the houses, doors and sidewalks, the trash in the streets, the grass -- knee-high in the medians -- the empty streets, the "For Sale" signs in the French Quarter, tell some of the rest.
During the day, the streets are lined with construction trucks and vans. Insurance vehicles are easy to spot.
If you've already given a gift to a Hurricane Katrina fund, you might be able to give a more important gift. You can go to New Orleans. NOLA needs hope. It's not moving fast enough. No one knows where to start. But many hotel rooms are available; great restaurants and shops are open.
It's easy to say yes to a Bloody Mary at breakfast and to a $ 3 tip for a $ 7 cab ride.
They need you to say yes. Yes to New Orleans.
Photo by Sonja Howle
The fountain and sculpture behind Cafe du Monde across from Jackson Square.
