Random Photo TR: New Orleans, July 2007

[coasterdude5]

I got the chance to go see some good friends down in New Orleans last summer and by seeing the destruction by Katrina, it inspired me to create a tribute movie. I wanted to incorporate scenes of the direct aftermath but I did not have the money to buy photos and videos from different sources so I will be making the first half using RCT3. But the second half will be made up of actual footage from the gulf coast. It will be released this summer.

 

If you are interested in the movie: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41908

 

But I never got around to posting my trip report to the city from last summer so I thought this would be a great opportunity.

 

Heading to Metairie, LA.

 

This was the first sign of Katrina damage that I could see.

 

We had Beignets here - they're little square hollow funnel cake-like pastries that are really good.

 

I was glad to see several construction sites throughout the city.

 

Our "tour guide" is a former police officer who actually went out on a rescue boat after the storm. He said the water was to the roof of this building.

 

Right there is where one of the levi's breached.

 

Houses were pushed off of their foundations and thrusted down the street.

 

Abandoned.

 

This street was one of the creepiest things I've ever seen - it was like a ghost town.

 

More abandoned houses.

 

Pictures don't do this place any justice, you really have to be there.

 

There were some really nice houses that used to be here.

 

The question I had was where did all of these people go? I mean I know alot went to Houston but not everyone.

 

Then other places look like they were never touched...

 

More soon.

[astroworldfan1]

If you think that neighborhood was bad, wait til' you see the 9th Ward. There isn't one thing left.

 

My cousin had 6 feet of water. She lived in Meterie and was able to move back in. I am so fortunate to live where I live in Louisiana. I did not get any damamage from Katrina/Rita.

 

-astroworldfan1 "Im very thankful for what I have"

[dandaman]

My relatives live in Metairie, and they got extremely lucky; somehow the only damages were to the windows and siding, with almost no flooding at all. Eerily enough, they could look down the street and see a completely waterlogged block of houses from their porch.

 

Like I said, extremely lucky.

[Goliath513]

Those are quite some powerful photos. One of my best friends lives in in Marrero (just south of New Orleans) and when she was out visiting me this weekend, we and are parents had quite a conversation about the events of Katrina, and the aftermath of the lives of those who she knows down there. One of the trees in their yard fell on their house and destroyed the roof. Fortunately it landed on the utilities box which took most of the blow from the house itself. It was very emotional to hear about from people who lived there and experienced it first hand. In fact, just last night a new episode of Extreme Home Makeover aired in which her father is one of the volunteers in rebuilding a house for a family in New Orleans.

 

I also have a friend who lives in Abita Springs who was also hit pretty hard. They have over 50 acres of property with trees that were destroyed by the hurricane and left quite a mess.

[coasterdude5]

^ Yeah, it's interesting to see the pine tree forests that were once dense are now almost translucent - you can see right through them. (in some places, at least)

[coasterdude5]

Here are some more photos:

 

Lake Pontchartrain.

 

The old lighthouse. This will soon be repaired and restored.

 

It was cool, we raced this train at about 55 mph for about 10 minutes.

 

The city of New Orleans.

 

The city itself looked decent, not good but not bad.

 

French Quarter, we are here.

 

There's hope for you...

 

The French Quarter is awesome... Especially if you're 18 or can get a fake I.D...

 

There's lots of cool places to eat at.

 

It was alot bigger than I thought. They were lucky, though, they didn't get that much water damage.

 

St. Louis Cathedral

 

It's massive!

 

"Hey, it's a living."

 

"Ma'am, please close the door!"

 

It started raining heavily. Our friend, Allen (former police officer) said that the sewer system is still in terrible shape. He said the last thing the town needs is a small hurricane (they move slower), he said it could be as bad as Katrina.

 

This is fun...

 

I would not want to be her right now.

 

There was this loud crash of thunder... it didn't phase the horse at all.

 

Alot of people bike because of high gas prices.

 

After seeing Hurricane in the Bayou at the IMAX, I saw this and because I'm a coaster nerd, I had to double-take... can you guess why?

 

Just like in Memphis, street cars go through the city.

 

No thanks, no thanks...

 

THAT is awesome.

 

Too bad all the stores were for rich women in their 40's and up...

 

View from the hotel lobby we checked out.

 

The lobby was awesome.

 

Landry's

 

Hard Rock Cafe

 

Rain sucks.

 

Thanks for reading.

[ParkTrips]

The city itself looked decent, not good but not bad.

that's about as good as NO gets

 

funny, just tonight I was talking with my Aunt from Houston who said crime has gone up significantly since Katrina.. nice to see what it looks like even all that time later

[coasterdude5]

^ My family used to live on the gulf coast. I always hear stories about New Orleans "back in the day". I'm not sure if there ever was a "day", but it'd be great to be able to see the city before Katrina.

[chmilo24]

It is nice to see hope for the city, and that they have done so well to get downdown back up.

 

What was going through your mind when you saw this?

[stingrock23]

It is amazing how many places haven't been touched, but also how many places that are back up and running like before. The downtown area is ok, since the flooding wasn't as bad there. If you went into the city, and stayed either downtown or uptown along St. Charles Avenue, you'd never know there was a big storm. But it's when you start venturing out that you see the real damage.

 

The real nightmare has been the fact that the local government still can't get much done. I was hoping this would change after such a big disaster, but that hasn't been the case. I don't live in Orleans parish, so I couldn't vote, but it's crazy that the idiots down here re-elected Nagin. He's hasn't done a thing.

[astroworldfan1]

Nagin is an idiot. He is way to busy comparing the City of New Orleans to candy bars. LMAO when he was on a radio talk show and he said "I want New Orleans to be a Chocolate City"! Or somthing else funny.

 

-Tatum

[coasterdude5]

Just a small spoiler, but his on-air breakdown will be featured in the movie...