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New Orleans Tourism Is Back in Business
by Barbara and Jim Twardowski
The first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina has passed. New Orleans will take years to rebuild. Before Katrina, a typical tourist didn’t visit residential neighborhoods. Now, tour buses drive by the ravaged homes.
Amazingly, the tourist corridor — the French Quarter, the Garden District, the Warehouse Arts District — sustained the least damage.
Tourism was one of the first industries to resume after Hurricane Katrina and is the lifeblood of thousands of businesses. Forever the party city, the Crescent City didn’t let even the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history halt celebration of Mardi Gras, the French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest.
Now, cruise ships dock in the port, footballs fly at the Louisiana Superdome and the 250-pound sea turtle Midas again swims at the Audubon Aquarium
of the Americas. The shops on Royal Street sell antiques, restaurants take reservations and hotels book guests.
Still, tourism is struggling. If you’ve wondered how you can help the recovery, the answer is simple. Go visit New Orleans.
New Orleans is one of the most romantic cities in America. The beloved French Quarter (officially called the Vieux Carre) is nearly 300 years old. Mule-drawn carriages drive past humble cottages, the majestic St. Louis Cathedral, and Creole townhouses with lacy, wrought-iron balconies. The Quarter is a residential area, and the floors above the restaurants, shops, and bars are homes.
Navigating the French Quarter with a wheelchair can be tricky. The side-
walks are uneven and only some streets have curb cutouts. Doorways to smaller shops are often raised, lacking a ramp, and extremely narrow. (I use a manual wheelchair instead of my power wheelchair in the Quarter. My husband is able to tilt my chair back and get me over high thresholds.)
A great spot for people watching is the outdoor, open-air and accessible Café du Monde, in the French Market across the street from Jackson Square. Deciding what to order is easy. Only one item is on the menu — beignets. The square “donut” covered with powdered sugar was originally created by the Acadians and is perfect for dunking.
Try the chicory coffee prepared au lait (half coffee and half steamed milk). While you relax, a street musician will play his sax and a clown will twist balloons into swords.
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