It is my first day at new orleans, and I can see that there is something very different about "nola", whether it is the welcome sign at the airport that reads "your entry to the americas" or the french signage in all the places, or the warm muggy weather beckoning me outside or the glossy Harrah's casino right across the hotel where we are staying.
I have a strong feeling that this week is going to be incredible and tonight's dinner has only served to affirm that sensation. We, a group of 11 students and one staff went to one of our trip leader's home for dinner. It was a beautiful house in a quaint street and it was hard for me to imagine that this city was flooded to the brim less than three years ago. The dinner was awesome starting with Gambo (an awesome pork stew unique to new orleans), a brie appetiser and salads of all different kinds [I am sorry, being a vegetarian, i am going to be writing a lot about the different kinds of breads and salads that I am hoping to have ;), but you might not find too many intimate details about the more exotic shrimps, oysters and crabs that some of my friends are looking forward to, sorry :( ]
Their hall table was decorated with a huge encyclopedia of Cajun Cuisines, which told me two things, one that New Orleans had its own cuisine varied enough to warrant an encyclopedia, which is great, and two, New Orleanians liked their food, which is even better! We spent the evening getting to know a little bit more from the citizens of new orleans (not nearly, apparently spending about 30 years in a city like new orleans is not enough to make you a citizen of the city, word is that a minimum of two and half generations is required before you qualify to become a new orleanian) about katrina, which is what our trip was mainly about, about the french quarter, and the sound of ships which can be heard throughout the city.
When we left their place that night, deciding to postpone the tour of the French quarter for the next day, we were exhausted and excited at the same time; exhausted after our final exams and the long journey that brought us to new orleans, and excited about the prospect of spending the next week knowing this place which is unique in so many ways and the people who had lost almost everything dear to them, but are still back to build the city that had betrayed them.
more to come, hang in there...
maalika
p.s. : I have two things to say about my writing that you have to forgive. I tend to use ... instead of . and i tend to not capitalize words.. hope you guys don't find it difficult to read!!
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