NOLA - V

We got a very late start on Wednesday.  Our day started with a little drama.  Let's just say I had to google, "my baby ate poop".  He actually only stuck it in his mouth, and he's going to be fine, but it did create some excitement!  : )

After the excitement died down, we ('we' as in Eli) napped and we all some ate lunch before venturing out.  We drove by the Superdome and the New Orleans Arena.

Then we drove down to the Lower Ninth Ward to see what it looks like nearly six years after Katrina.  The land there is so ridiculously flat, it's no wonder they suffered the damage they did from storm surge.

I didn't take very many pictures because while the impoverishment is extensive in many areas, it's still home to the people there.  Many parts have been rebuilt, but a lot hasn't been.  This is one picture of an abandoned house, and this is really mild compared to what was left of a lot of the homes there.

Other areas were nothing but empty lots.  You could see nothing but the foundation of homes that once existed.  Other lots looked like no yard maintenance had been done post-Katrina.  Seriously, we saw grass thicker than anything I've ever seen in my life and weeds at least 6 feet tall.

One area of the 9th ward in particular was being rebuilt.  They were all houses with a modern twist:  weird angles, unusual siding, funky roofs.  I don't know if that was done to be "green" or, to withstand hurricanes and storms, or if it was the look that a particular builder was going for.  However, all of the houses in this area that are nearest the levee and have been rebuilt are built up tall on cinder blocks.  Some of them were so tall that they were parking their cars underneath.  Again, I felt funny about taking pictures of people's houses, so this is the only one.

A closer view of the house standing on blocks.

A view of the levee.  As of January 1, 2011, FEMA is no longer in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

This is a shot I took when we were going over the bridge leaving the Ninth Ward.  The levee is on the left and that's the 9th Ward itself on the right.

Another picture taken from the bridge.  This time the levee is on the right.

After our driving excursion we came back and left the car to do some walking.  We had an afternoon snack at Cafe Du Monde.  If you're keeping up that's beignets 4/5 days so far!  : )

Eli loves beignets.  Notice I'm holding his hand back.

(In case you're wondering, I'm not giving him the sugar.  Just pinches of the inside of the beignets.  He did try the powdered sugar yesterday, but that's been it!)

After our snack we walked on down to the French Market.  It's a Farmer's Market and a Flea Market.  The fruit at the Farmer's Market smelled soooo good!  We didn't buy anything, but it was neat to walk around and look at everything.

After leaving the market we just continued to walk through the French Quarter and look at all of the buildings.  We enjoyed it; it was late in the afternoon, there was a lot of shade, and the heat wasn't quite as sweltering as it has been.  I love ferns.  I wish mine were this green.  So pretty!