New Orleans, one of the oldest cities in the United States, has a rich cultural heritage. In addition to it being known as the birthplace of jazz, it is also well regarded for its architecture and tasty cuisine. This charming city, which is often called the “most unique” in America, has been attracting millions of tourists for decades.
It’s obvious that the city has suffered lot from the Katrina hurricane in 2005 when about 80 percent of the city was flooded. However, while the disaster was catastrophic, the city is being reconstructed and major events such as Mardi Gras and the Jazz and Heritage Festival continue. Moreover, it would be hard to find someone who would share a negative opinion about the city. One traveler, for example, has posted her thoughts about the city.
“New Orleans is a fabulous city. One of my favorite in the world. It ranks up there with San Francisco, Barcelona, Cape Town and London – all faves of mine. But over a year after Katrina, the devastation is still readily apparent on almost every street. From street lights lying on the ground to spray painted FEMA markings on houses, from boarded up buildings to the lack of street cars – it’s shocking how much evidence of the hurricane is still visible.”
Others are inspired by New Orleans’ traditions such as jazz funerals.
“My inspiration was a New Orleans’ tradition: the jazz funeral, where marching bands play sad, dirge-like songs on the way to the cemetery, then pick up the tempo with up-beat tunes on the way back home. But this is no funeral: New Orleans is alive and kicking (and well worth visiting right now), so I threw some fun, nonsensical tunes into the mix, cos that’s New Orleans for ya.”
Very soon the Jazz and Heritage Festival will start again (April 25-27 and May 1-4) with the return of the Neville Brothers who have not played at the event since Katrina.
Photo:© Brenda Anderson
No related posts.