Pause for Purpose

Mark K June 20th, 2008

 

 Bourbon Street [2:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This was my first visit to New Orleans and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, post-Katrina. We entered the city by crossing Lake Pontchartrain on a long causeway next to a bridge being built to replace the one that was destroyed during Katrina. When we reached the city, we could see homes that were damaged and destroyed during the hurricane and there was a general “down and out” feel to the neighborhood that we crossed while trying to find the French Quarter. There were a number of homeless people and boarded up buildings. I imagined that this neighborhood was not too prosperous prior to Katrina, but that it was in really bad shape now.

Then when we entered the French Quarter, everything changed. There was little or no evidence of Katrina and the quarter had a European feel with the narrow cobbled streets, ancient buildings and wrought iron balconies. We had dinner at a restaurant in the old French Market and sampled jambalaya, red beans and rice and a gumbo. We then had beignets for dessert at the Cafe du Mond down the street.

Bourbon street that night (it was a Friday) was insane. As you walked down the street, you could hear four or five different kinds of live music coming from the clubs and bars, people were standing on balconies throwing beaded necklaces to the crowd, there were street performers, strip clubs, you name it. It’s hard to imagine just how much more crazy it might be during Mardi Gras.

The audio clip gives a sampling of the sounds of Bourbon Street, starting with some street performers who are (jokingly, I hope) threatening to rob the crowd if they don’t contribute when the hat is passed and ending with the band and dancer pictured above.

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