Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Isaac's New Orleans Visit

New Orleans. We were there in 2009.  Photos and videos don't really give a true sense of that city. A very naughty city. As I watched the news reports this morning about Isaac's visit, I think of all the people we met and the amazing food we ate while there. We have since avoid it because we both put on weight during a very short visit!

What was so surprising to me, after a breakfast of beignets at Cafe du Monde, was the hike up the levee and standing right on the edge of the mighty Mississippi River. The river that had inspired poems and books and music. It was an undulating entity. A living, moving body of water. Massive.

As we stood on the levee and looked down into Jackson Square and the French Quarter in the distance, it was terrifying. The river just needed to go over the levees and the entire region would flood. I got it. I got what happened when Katrina destroyed part of the city. Those high levees weakened, cracked then the river flowed in.

With Isaac's visit, I am thrilled that the damaged seems minimal and there has been no loss of life so far this morning. Guess hard lessons were learned with Katrina and thankfully, the levees have held.

Our love to the people of that amazing city. We will be back soon!

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