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Yesterday was windy and freezing outside. I did laundry and some work on the computer. We decided to take a drive over to a new Walmart to do some shopping. It is located in Chalmette about 15 minutes from where we were. There was very little traffic and we got there without any trouble.
The new store is very big but it looks like a warehouse inside and there really isn't much of a selection. Everything seems much less expensive than anywhere else we have shopped in the states. Even gasoline is cheap here at 2.39 a gallon.
On the way home, I reset the gps. Tom took us on a long tour of city. We weren't lost but we sure got an eye opener of New Orleans. It appears that the area we went through suffered severe flooding and wind damage. So many homes boarded up or demolished. Some have attempted to rebuild but there is nothing around them. Lots of empty lots overgrown with weeds, sidewalks that have disappeared into the sand and grown over as well. The streets are caved in, crooked, broken into pieces.
Lots of cheap construction has gone up, I am guessing to fill an urgent need. Yet, at night thousands come from all around for the Mardi Gras. They say this has been a good time for the economy but you know it is a temporary injection that only lasts a couple of weeks. Most of the jobs in tourism are always minimum wage.
My point is that New Orleans hasn't come back and from the looks of things it probably never will. Where did all the money go that the government promised? Where is Mayor Nagin and what is he doing? FEMA was a disaster. There is no need for me to post any pictures as they are the same ones we saw when this whole mess started. Can you imagine high rise buildings still sitting vacant in downtown areas, boarded up and forgotten? What has happened to this country? Somebody took it in the shorts on this one and if I were a taxpayer in the good ole U.S. of A, (and I am) I would be severly pissed.
People say not to go out at night, keep your cars empty and don't show any money. Sad, sad situation. We still plan to go down to the French Quarter today to do some sightseeing. However, we are leaving tomorrow. Too much trouble and traffic at night, too many people out drunk on the streets and a sadness that can't help but keep you from having a good time knowing what has gone on here and what won't happen in the near future.
The new store is very big but it looks like a warehouse inside and there really isn't much of a selection. Everything seems much less expensive than anywhere else we have shopped in the states. Even gasoline is cheap here at 2.39 a gallon.
On the way home, I reset the gps. Tom took us on a long tour of city. We weren't lost but we sure got an eye opener of New Orleans. It appears that the area we went through suffered severe flooding and wind damage. So many homes boarded up or demolished. Some have attempted to rebuild but there is nothing around them. Lots of empty lots overgrown with weeds, sidewalks that have disappeared into the sand and grown over as well. The streets are caved in, crooked, broken into pieces.
Lots of cheap construction has gone up, I am guessing to fill an urgent need. Yet, at night thousands come from all around for the Mardi Gras. They say this has been a good time for the economy but you know it is a temporary injection that only lasts a couple of weeks. Most of the jobs in tourism are always minimum wage.
My point is that New Orleans hasn't come back and from the looks of things it probably never will. Where did all the money go that the government promised? Where is Mayor Nagin and what is he doing? FEMA was a disaster. There is no need for me to post any pictures as they are the same ones we saw when this whole mess started. Can you imagine high rise buildings still sitting vacant in downtown areas, boarded up and forgotten? What has happened to this country? Somebody took it in the shorts on this one and if I were a taxpayer in the good ole U.S. of A, (and I am) I would be severly pissed.
People say not to go out at night, keep your cars empty and don't show any money. Sad, sad situation. We still plan to go down to the French Quarter today to do some sightseeing. However, we are leaving tomorrow. Too much trouble and traffic at night, too many people out drunk on the streets and a sadness that can't help but keep you from having a good time knowing what has gone on here and what won't happen in the near future.
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIts a sad story your telling Chris, this country is going right down the toilet and all we can do is stand on the side lines and watch it happen.
ReplyDelete