New Orleans, LA

Sharon was able to get a flight home earlier than we thought which was great. I think the cold and lack of sleep was getting to her. Plus I cannot take care of myself and needed her home as well. But to do that we had to fly her into new orleans airport in order to do it affordably. Now that entailed me to drive 3 hours to pick her up, but that’s okay, I left early so I could drive around the french Quarter in hopes of finding a lost sole on Bourbon Street.

I drove up and down Bourbon twice and down Royal and a few others. No luck. Lots of lost souls, just no soles :) But Jack did enjoy looking out the window at the activity, he seemed to be dying to get out and experience it. He and Jinjer a few years back did get to walk Bourbon St. It was a nightmare for us since they like to put anything and everything into their mouths, and the French Quarter is no place for that, even for dogs.

rewinding a bit, back to my trip into New Orleans traveling down I-10 west after crossing Lake Pontchartrain, I just could not believe sights. The scars from Katrina are still highly visible, maybe even worse than ever like a sore that does not get treatment. It seemed almost 1/3 of the structures, both homes and businesses were detiorating to some degree. It was sad. It felt as if i were in a third world country. It just reeked of dispair :( It was never a pretty area to begin with, but is now a total wreck. I have no idea what it will take to recover that area, maybe never will. It will have to take at least 20 years to revitalize it, especially in this economy.

I also drove out 61 to the airport down Tulane Ave. and things seemed worse there. I barely touched on the ninth ward in the last visit and it looked like what I imagine parts of Beirut and Gaza would resemble after all the wars and violence. That city is in a crisis. I really feel for the people who are trying to make it there. It must be so hard since New Orleans people are very proud of their city, and to have it in the state it is in must break their hearts.

Some day when I have the time and the guts I would like to explore those areas better and find me a lost sole to commemorate all the hardship those people have endured, and are yet to endure. May peace and happiness find them somehow.

Eventually I made my way to the airport and sat in the “Cell Phone Lot” until I got the call from Sharon to meet her at the curb outside baggage claim. I was happy to see her and so were the Puggles. After being together for 4 years in a motorhome, 24/7, it gets hard to be apart. We are just so used to being together.