New Orleans - The City of Dreams

This fall I visited New Orleans for the very first time with my husband and daughter. It was a wonderful trip full of beautiful sights, fabulous food, warm friendly people, and touching and poignant experiences.

Above -- The Pontalba apartments in New Orleans near Jackson Square.

Above -- Saint Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square.

Houses along Bourbon Street in New Orleans painted in the traditional colors of salmon pink and green.

My daughter and I awaiting our cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter.

The terrible devastation of Hurricane Katrina was still in evidence in many places, and we felt such sadness viewing that, knowing that the lives of many were lost and for others, it will never be the same.

Above -- A house that was completely washed off its foundation from the broken levee flood aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the Ninth Ward neighborhood.

There was still a strong spirit prevalent in the city, however, of the need to survive and prosper again, and we hope that all will be able to soon rise up, rebuild, and flourish.

Above -- A FEMA trailer on a destroyed house's property with testimonial signs about how they strongly want to rebuild.

Visiting the beautiful old sugar cane plantations along River Road which were over an hour's drive away from New Orleans, reminded me that history will always survive to tell a story, and to create an awareness of both the triumphs and struggles of our developing country.

Above -- the magnificent Oak Alley Plantation

The beautiful 300 hundred-year-old trees leading up the walkway to the front of Oak Alley Plantation.

During our stay, I collected quite a bit of promotional brochures with tourist information and sightseeing tours, which I brought home with me as I was so enthralled with the city that I wanted to review everything again. There were so many unique words associated with New Orleans in the brochures that I got the idea to cut them out and make a collage card for my daughter as a memento of our trip, which you can view here:

New Orleans really was a city of dreams. We fell in love with it, and hope to return again someday. So much has yet to be done to help rebuild it after the 2005 hurricane's destruction, and we will continue to contribute to organizations that help, such as Habitat for Humanity and Musicians Village. Please consider helping too. Help to keep the dream alive.