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What is your perception of New Orleans?

Travel Info
Right now, in your opinion and off the top of your mind:
(This is just a question regarding public perception.

1) What is New Orleans like right now?

2) What images does the name "New Orleans" bring to mind?

3) Overall, are things better, worse, or the same in New Orleans since Katrina?

4) Are you willing to visit New Orleans?

5) Any thoughts, observations, or comments on or about the city?

Travel Tips

New Orleans is one of the world's special places with an ambience unique in North America, and remains so even after Katrina devastated it in 2005.

Katrina flooded about 80% of New Orleans with salt water, and the water stayed for almost a month. Much of the city is still struggling to recover and all you have to do to see devastation is drive around. It will take years for NOLA to fully recover from Katrina.

However, the parts of the city that tourists usually visit were not flooded. It's not a coincidence - the French Quarter and other old parts of the city were built on relatively high ground and only suffered wind damage from Katrina. Almost all of the damage has been repaired and you have to look closely in the FQ and city center to see that Katrina happened at all.

You should visit and see for yourself.

You can drink the water, the electricity & phones work, and services like the post office, hospitals, schools, police/fire/EMS, and stores & shopping centers are operating.

Municipal services like street cleaning & trash collection collapsed after Katrina. Those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.

Regarding crime, use the same common sense you need in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym: Pay attention to your surroundings. Stay away from anywhere dark & deserted. Pay attention to your feelings - if anyone or anywhere gives you a bad feeling, leave the area. Don't leave something like a camera-bag or backpack unattended on a park bench while you wander off to take photos. Etc.

New Orleans has mild weather from October to May and the city stays green all year most years (rarely freezes and almost never snows). Summers are hot & humid, particularly in July and August - take it easy or stick to indoor activities during the middle of the day at that time of year. The good news for summer visitors is that hotel prices are usually lower.
Others

1) Hot and humid, most likely. But overall, the city is slowly starting to come back to what it once was, before the hurricane.

2) The French Quarter... Anne Rice.... Yellow Fever.... the bayou.... above ground crypts.... beauty..... cobblestone drives....

3) Better in some ways, worse in others.

4) YES.... Am considering going to graduate school there.

5) ;o)