houses of New Orleans

 the architecture

it's all about the architecture

Key West was just a small taste of wonderful old houses

New Orleans has actual neighborhoods

 of wonderful old houses and

 filled with some of the most interesting and colorful people

tons of character and charm here man

and unlike Key West, they are not a million dollars and everyone

was not fixed up by a banker from the mainland

I never tired looking at the houses the whole time we were there

here are some of my favorites

there is something about the shutters that I just love

so Caribbean

the work so well in the heat too
they keep the sun out and the air can still come through

they were built in a time when people cared about ascetics

they took pride in their craft

works of art and all so different

I especially like this one

these are all just in the neighborhood we were staying in

I wanted to take photos of every one but it seemed

too invasive even for new orleans

 I am always more attracted to the

fixer-uppers

these houses have more character and soul than most houses built today

aging queens they are

need partners for this one I think

 notice how the post is not actually touching the porch

we could fix this up.....

I sent some of these photos to a friend and he said,
just looks like work, I'm over it

(he is older than me I think)

***

the other thing I noticed very soon

was the evidence of the perfect storm they called Katrina

well actually called several things, many not printable...

 spray painted on a wall -

F - fix
           E - everything
 M - my 
A - ass

it is mind boggling to look at this map

the house we were staying in

 is the little strip of land between the flood and the river - top right

but the house my son bought, was under water to the top floor 

 as were many, too many others

to still see the effects of this tragedy nine years later

still so evident and to hear the stories 

it broke my heart

I could not take any more photos of the houses, lives and communities people lost

I also could not take photos in the cemeteries

though from a street over they looked inviting 

with their lovely angel statues

it did not feel right to be stumbling around taking photos

these are not ancient cemeteries, but cemeteries people are still using

still have family in

biking by we saw a tourist bus pulling into one and people 

hopping out with their cameras....

I did with my son's help get a couple great graffiti shots though

at an abandoned high school

at least some art is still going on there

then there was this wonderful old church in our neighborhood

originally a German church

 it looks Spanish to me

and next to it were some of the oldest crepe myrtles ever

 the street was purple from the flowers

they were blooming all over town while we were there
very magical

 and beads - what is New Orleans without beads??

they were everywhere, on fences, houses, cars, one street even
had filled it's pot holes with them - I kid you not
my son was too embarrassed to let me stop and take a photo

ah the houses of New Orleans - I fell in love with several

on the back of this card it says

"K's lamp.  Grasping this pole in a firm but sensitive manner K divined truth and remedies.  As it was her power spot she came back often."

artist - James Michalopoulos

next one - music