Posted on 09/05/2005 8:14:06 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
NEW ORLEANS — You know a city has legs when three or four dozen of them are parading down Bourbon Street — some clad in tutus and grass skirts — six days after the most damaging hurricane in American history.
But the annual Southern Decadence parade through the heart of the French Quarter stops for nothing — not even Katrina.
"Hey, we've got to keep our morale up, too," said Jill Sandars, aka "Jelly Sandwich," her "Quarter" name.
Resplendent in a fluffy red skirt, dark hat and small black umbrella, she strutted and sang with 15 to 20 other storm survivors who'd hunkered down in battered but not beaten streets normally associated with bead-throwing at Mardi Gras.
The event always manages to be held the Sunday before Labor Day. This time, of course, the circumstances were different.
Water covered the upper northwest quadrant of the Quarter, roughly from Conti to Canal streets, between Bourbon and North Rampart.
There was no power or water, and only hints of the kinds of food made legendary at venues such as Brennan's or Galatoire's. Both of those restaurants seemed relatively unscathed, as did many of the structures on the riverside end of the district, its highest elevation.
But the Quarter was far from its famously lively and carefree self. National Guard and police were everywhere to keep the peace and stop looting. Helicopters buzzed overhead as the evacuation of the city proceeded.
But as the parade assembled at Orleans and Bourbon, outside Johnny White's Sports Bar & Grill, where the motto, "We never close," is strictly enforced, the mood was old-school Vieux Carré at its finest.
"I survived Hurricane Katrina and all I got was this lousy T-shirt," was handwritten on the shirt of a young woman who was wearing a tutu and pulling a bead-laden wagon. Alongside her, marched — ambled actually — a shirtless young man in cut-off shorts, boots and hardhat. The sign he carried read, "Life goes on?"
As the parade moved along, people came out on balconies and threw down beads. On at least one balcony, birthday suits were the uniform of the day.
For Marvin Allen, bartender at the famous revolving Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone, even the lack of meals could be turned into celebration. He and a group of survivors who live near the Ursulines Convent on Chartres combine provisions each evening for dishes such as "Wienie Jambalaya."
"In some ways, it sounds strange, but we're actually doing better than we normally are," Allen said.
It's a brave face, but it's working. Still, Allen hopes to evacuate to Dallas later this week.
The future of New Orleans may be problematic, and time lines for recovery mostly are educated guesses. But the same forces of fate — or the mercy of the African voodoo goddess of the winds, Oya — that deflected Katrina's destructive winds at the 11th hour seem to have spared this legendary part of the American cultural experience.
The northwestern quadrant, as well as outlying landmarks such as the historic Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on North Rampart at Conti, where plague victims were taken in the 1830s, were underwater anywhere from a few inches to several feet.
But most of the landmarks in the Quarter theoretically could reopen whenever power and water are restored — by November, optimistically. There's no talk of canceling Mardi Gras.
As the Southern Decadence parade meandered past the corner of Orleans and Royal, it passed the fenced garden behind St. Louis Cathedral. A giant oak and magnolia both lay uprooted. It was the largest single scene of devastation in the Quarter.
In the center of the tangle of limbs and broken trunks stood the garden's statue of Jesus, the one with outstretched arms affectionately known to locals as "Touchdown Jesus."
The statue was completely unscathed, except for a broken finger and two broken thumbs. "J'ai confiance en vouz," says the inscription, "I have confidence in you."
At that intersection, a New Orleans cop appeared, held up his own arms and stopped the parade.
"I didn't know Decadence was still on," he said. Parade-goers politely assured him it was.
"Keep your spirits up," he said, and drove away.
His lack of knowledge could easily be forgiven. It's not like phones, TVs or much of anything facilitates conversation. As one habitué of the sports bar said, drinking a warm beer on the sidewalk, "We just can't get any information."
"Yeah," said Ride Hamilton, a longhaired screenwriter who keeps water and medical supplies for the stranded. "And we can't get any strippers, either."
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rdavis@express-news.net
Ahh..no, no we don't and its not "spirit" .....its the need for attention and lack of any kind of morals
Let me tell ya, it takes a sick person to hold a party in the middle of a cesspool surrounded by death, disease and rotting bodies. Wait a minute, it's the homo mardi gras - that at least explains the sick part. And it takes a sick person to turn the other way and think that all is ok with this. FamilyVal You? Good grief! What family values are you talking about?
familyValYou is a homo troll!
See post #43
"You know a city has legs when three or four dozen of them are parading down Bourbon Street "
Cockroaches have legs too, Rod! (My first thought.)
I thought I'd give the poster a chance to respond. However the Mods have made the issue moot. We can now go back to original family values.
"Yes, I'm sure the world will be shocked to its core by images of revelry and debauchery from New Orleans."
Go ahead and mock, scoff, and laugh. Right now the world is watching this and wondering, "is this America?"
The world knows what New Orleans is like. It's hardly a big secret..
Speak for yourself. I'm not part of your "we".
perhaps if they wore burkas you'd be happy.
This is GREAT!! It's the spirit of the city!~
Well, they got you paying attention!
Bye bye
Before the full extent of Katrina's devastation was known, the Southern Decadence organizers were already talking about going ahead as usual.
Had it not been for the flooding, they'd have done just that.
If you think homosexuality and narcissism aren't closely connected, this parade should dispel any contrary notions.
And you are actually using that phrase in referring to men parading around in tutus celebrating anal intercourse.
I have to agree. Life goes on...
"And you are actually using that phrase in referring to men parading around in tutus celebrating anal intercourse."
Gives you a good idea of what some FReepers consider "normal". Celebrating an activity that has killed thousands in a freshly destryoed city where thousands have been injured or killed, the dead have yet to be counted and starved and exhausted people are still being rescued. What are the homos reations? Let's celbrate still being able to bugger each other in the rear. Freaking SICK!
And all the while there is a 'MANDATORY' evacuation order in the city. I think I've finally figured out the problem - Nagin and the governor need a dictionary.
"The world knows what New Orleans is like. It's hardly a big secret.."
Does the Muslim world know this? I don't want them to think this is what we are trying to establish by placing "democracies" in their areas. Gives them even more reason to resist.
On the other hand, I would hope that the "educated" parts of the world do indeed realize that "Nahlans" is not representative of the US, as I think you imply.
If we all disgust you, then why hang around?
I'm not part of your "we".
That's quite obvious
This is GREAT!!
If you think half naked homosexuals parading around with nipples rings and tutus promoting decadence is "GREAT" than you should be over at the DU
It's the spirit of the city!~
Seems to me that helping out at a time of crises instead of promoting decadence is a better example, I bet they could use some volunteer help at the Red Cross
Well, they got you paying attention!
Seems like you are the one so very interested in making sure they get the attention..."spirit of the city" would be your headline
See post # 53
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