A Detoriation of Culture

I first visited New Orleans in 1996, the city had a sincere charm. Going into the French Quarter was an experience, but you weren't taking your life into your own hands. Originally I thought I visited in 1994 but realized that when I returned from New Orleans, my ex-wife had told me she was pregnant for the third time; this pregnancy lead to the birth of my little girl. So with the date clear, it's amazing to me how much the city has changed. The convention center was not here, the Quarter was a fun place to visit, and there wasn't as many officers around.


Patrolling the city, are N.O. (New Orleans not NO) police are everywhere. They were at about every block along Canal Street, and plentiful in the Quarter. But now it seems that there are numerous reports of people being mugged at gunpoint in the Quarter. Aside from the violence, sex is now a big trade in the Quarter. Larry Flynt's Hustler outlets are everywhere on Bourbon street. During the day they do what they can to attract men, and women, for what ever you desire. While prostitution is illegal, according to some that visited, it's available from these venues. In addition to all of this, there is an open container law for the Quarter; no glass bottles and all labeled alcoholic beverages have to be in a paper bag. Otherwise, drink anything to your heart's content.



And drink they do. Last night, my second trip down Bourbon street, there was a rather large African-American woman hunched over her belly, sitting on a step to the sealed entrance to a bar with music being played so loud it could be heard for two city blocks. This lady was out. She had a few shopping bags and a very large drink nearby. She was out. Patrolling the Quarter is difficult among the masses of people. So the N.O. Police use horse mounting officers. That in and of itself makes for an interesting dynamic because these horses have no issue with dumping their bowels onto the street without a moment's notice. So, there is puke, piss, and horse crap everywhere. What a wonderful place to visit.


The American visitors take notice of the variety of bodily functions on the street. But the Chinese don't seem to care. They walk through the horse dung as if it were a normal thing to do. This may be one clue as to why they periodically have an intense odor about them. Each store front is like the next along Bourbon street, filthy, typically dimly lit, and loud music coming from the core of the establishment. Last night a group of us decided to stop and have a few drinks. I enjoyed a mango Margaretta which was delicious. Needless to say it did not calm my nerves. The place seems like a hell hole, that lots of people enjoy. Definitely not a family place, a significant difference from what I remembered 14 years ago.


The Quarter still has some awesome places to eat, but they seem to be less numerous. According to some of the locals, many of the better restaurants have moved from the Quarter into the city due to the clientele that's available in the Quarter. So there is now no cluster of great restaurants in one small area; they are spread throughout the city. That's good for the city, but it's bad for tourists; it made it more difficult to find the places most would like to consider as typical of New Orleans. This does open opportunities for other restaurants, and I was astounded at my luck in finding hole in the walls that were as outstanding as some of the more advertised places. I ate enough oysters to fill a bucket, yet with the variety of ways to prepare them, it would have made Bubba proud.

Overall, the city seems to have lost some charm, but it's still well worth the visit.

After posing this, Jim Carson noticed he could not link in a few photos. So Three of his photos were included here. The first is Margaret Haughery (of New Orleans) Sculpture unveiled July 9, 1884, the second is a sculpture that was located outside of the convention center (a Tree House), and the last is Jean Baptiste LeMoyne de Bienville, founder of New Orleans.