I have seen so much in 2 days here it’s hard to put it into words. Especially quickly. Right now our son Levin is writing his story on the HS football game we attended, for the Times-Picayune. It is due by 11pm. When he finishes that, we will get something to eat somewhere, starting after midnight South Carolina time, 11:00 New Orleans time.
I am thinking of my students at Newberry who told me the largest city they’ve been in, is Columbia, SC. Columbia is the capital city of SC, and the size of Lafayette, Indiana, home of Purdue. It is really NOT a city. It’s not large enough to get the cultural flavor from many different ethnic and cultural groups. Today in New Orleans we saw restaurant after restaurant, and hundreds of little shops, each one different and colorful. Music poured out onto the streets from inside many of them. Music was being done ON the streets as well. There were 2 violin players, one who played with another guitarist outside a French donut place that is famous for their donuts and Cafe au laite. We walked up on the levee — the one that didn’t break — above the French quarter. It is stronger and protects the high class restaurant area, unlike the ones near the 9th ward that busted and sent full river and hurricane water flowing into the city, causing the horrific conditions that followed. We drove past the now rebuilt Superdome, where so many came for shelter and then lived there for days, while babies died from lack of water and chaos ensued.
I can’t be in this city and not think about all the people who suffered, lost their homes, got sick from filthy water, and all the looting that went on. The government aid and troops who never came.
This city is alive for the tourists, but is unique, with a flavor of festivals and soul and jazz unlike anywhere else. I saw a sign that said “Jazz funerals.”
There is so much life and culture in cities! This place is alive with people, from all over, flocking here. I saw a guy with a Yankees shirt on (NY), I saw a guy with a Cubs shirt on (Chicago). After living for over a year in SC where everybody who lives there is FROM there back 3 generations, it is just so refreshing.
The hotel we’re staying in is a “bed & breakfast”. It used to be an orphanage. I wonder what kids slept in my bedroom. It has “flavor”. Paint is coming off the walls. The shower works but they don’t bring you new towels every day. I’m going downstairs now to ask for some more lightbulbs, because we only have 1 out of 4 in a ceiling chandelier that works. It’s okay, it’s colorful, and the cafe downstairs is lively at 11:00 at night, lots of people. I’ve seen 2 roaches, but then this is the humid, hot south, where they just live, no getting around it.
The weather turned cooler tonight, which is a relief. Quite cool, actually, with highs in the mid-60s expected tomorrow.
Doctor Grandma 
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