Thought some of you might be interested in what's going on here.
I returned last Wednesday and the streets were all but deserted. I live in the French Quarter and we have power. The neighborhoods next to me, the Treme and Marigny, do not.
I can't tell you how strange it was to walk my dog and to see pitch blackness two streets over where normally I see a city.
The stench in the city is awful... sometimes unbearable. Sort of like death and garbage rolled up into one. Rats and flies everywhere. Here in the Quarter, our only damage (besides some who had roof damage), thankfully, was to our refrigerators since the water level did not rise so great. Maggots set up shop. Everywhere you look there are old refrigerators on sidewalks. If anyone is in the business of selling such appliances, you'd make a mint in New Orleans. And of course this adds to the smell of the city.
There was no garbage collection from Wednesday, when I arrived, until Monday (we usually have daily pickup). I left out my bags of maggot filled trash and refridgerator so I was quite pleased when I saw the trashman. There are also blocks and blocks of tree/branch debris. While we have garbage pickup now, they can't keep up as people continue to return.
Yesterday we got natural gas turned on... which is nice b/c you could only get barbque burgers in the quarter. We got cable a few days ago which gives us access to information. Newspaper stands still have papers from August 27th or whenever the day before the storm hit (I've lost track) and we sometimes run across a new Times Picayune.
The French Quarter now has a good number of people. Every gay bar has reopened but one, while a small fraction of the str8 bars have re-opened... which speaks to something about us gays... although I'm not quite sure.
We have military, police and first responders from all over. Everyone has been very courteous. A Jersey SWAT team came into a gay bar I was sitting in and wanted to take pictures with us. We thanked them for their help and they expressed sadness at leaving the city. They were happy to see things come back alive.
There are MANY jobs advertised in the service industry. The restaurants opened are understaffed and are filled to capacity.
There is a curfew which was just raised from 6 pm to 8 pm but it is not enforced in the Quarter. Bars open till 2 a.m.ish (or so they tell me :-) ).
Driving outside the quarter is nightmarish. The destruction is incredible. To see what was once submerged is remarkable. Pictures do not do it justice. The police will not let people into the hardest hit areas without having proof that you lived there so I haven't seen the worst... but what I've seen is bad enough.
Every house outside the quarter has a sign painted on it from first responders signifying when it was searched, by whom and the number of deaths. This was not done in the Quarter (thankfully). Instead the street and sidewalks in front of the homes were painted.
There is a Salvation Army truck giving out food on Canal and a Red Cross station on Basin giving out supplies. Some include huge boxes of Ritz Crackers and Rice Krispey Treats... odd I thought. But the MRE's are nice (I find) as is the water, cleaning supplies and ice chest they give away.
There was no Red Cross station to give away disaster monetary relief in New Orleans until today when one was set up in Kenner at the airport. They help 1000 per day. This has been going on across the lake in Slidell as well... with the same limit. You can imagine the frustration of those who wait and get nothing.
You can go to the Red Cross in any city in America and get aid but only 1000 per day in New Orleans get it. Thanks Red Cross!
FEMA has a village on the river across from Jackson Square. I don't know what goes on there since it's got security. Besides that presence, I see nothing of FEMA.
Every store but one was looted. However those I spoke with were not so upset. Most that was taken were hurrican supplies. But I've only spoken to those in grocery stores and hardware stores. The others have not re-opened.
Overall it's been so nice to be home after being evacuated for a month and living with 4 tshirts and 2 jeans. I had a wonderful smile driving into the destruction b/c I was finally home.
I've seen so much on this site and elsewhere trashing my city. It's corruption. It's racism. It's ignorance. Well to ya'll... FUCK YOU.
I love New Orleans. I love the people here. I had offers to move elsewhere and while I'm unemployed, I'd rather be unemployed in this smelly debris filled city than any other place.
We will survive and we will be stronger and better.
Thanks to everyone for your help, which has been so gracious.