Sunday, August 28, 2005
"New Orleans Braces For Powerful Katrina"
If this were any other situation I'd really be making fun of the headline above. Seriously, if you know the city of New Orleans like I do, then 'Bracing for powerful Katrina' sounds like just another Friday night down on Bourbon Street. Sadly though, Katrina isn't a 500 pound Russian stripper, at least not this time.
We've all been waiting for 'The Storm' to hit New Orleans for some time now. She's dodged quite a few bullets over the last few decades, but it's always been known her days were numbered. If you spent just a few hours downtown and walked along the levees you could easily see why the city's days were numbered. It was only a matter of time.
I personally have had some of my greatest moments in youthful indiscretions down there. No, I wasn't as bad as you think. My indiscretions revolved around Jazz, Drinking, and Food. New Orleans was the perfect place for someone like me to hear some great music by some of America's best Jazz musicians, drink wine and 'hand grenades' until 2am, and afterwards stumble into the smallest 'hole in the wall' to eat some of the best food in the world. There are so many other things to do in that city, but those were some of mine. (Of course I did much more, but what happens in 'Nawlins stays in 'Nawlins, you dig?)
So now all I can do is sit back and watch the destruction of one of America's most famous and historic cities. The wonderful art districts, the ancient cemeteries, the antique brothels-turned-museums are all about to be submerged under 20+ feet of water, mud, and debris. It's a sad sad day indeed.
My heart goes out to all the people who had to decide what to leave behind as they fled north today. You truly are the heart of New Orleans, and upon your return you will soon experience the helping hand of the rest of the country. Your fellow countrymen are the most giving people in the world, and we will without a doubt do our best to take care of our own. After all, this is America.
And since this is the United States of America it is obvious that your city will be rebuilt. After all, where would we be without New Orleans; The former French riverfront town that we paid pennies for, the site of our greatest victory over the Brits during the War of 1812, the place where the term 'Hooker' was coined during the Civil War... it all happened in New Orleans. Hell yes, We Will Rebuild.
A little advice... when you do build it all back up, do it a bit higher. Raise the city's foundation about 15 to 20 feet. Other than that, just make it look and feel like the old place.
Trust me, if you build it we will come.
History & Drinking At It's Best
posted by El Capitan at 4:20 PM
1 Comments:
El Capitan said...
Ditto Gemini!
10:48 AM