It wasn’t until after my presentation that I had a chance to see the city. And I have to admit it was so depressing that I’ve been having trouble writing about it. I have a sick interest in abandoned theme parks and the like, but seeing the neighborhoods of all classes so destroyed, the symbols marking search and rescue attempts, and the general vacancy of the city left me confused and uncomfortable.
I took pictures of a number of houses, and morbid curiosity had me snapping photos of those symbols, but I can’t post them.
The destruction was real and remains, but the hope and commitment to rebuild is real too. New Orleans is city destroyed, but its people are not broken. And sadly, I haven’t figured out how to take a photo that does that justice.
The photo above is of the memorial in the lower ninth ward, dedicated August 27th 2006 (the governor’s dedication). The sign in the window reads: “I am coming home! I will rebuild! I am New Orleans!”