NOLA

Nola has it’s own special space once you have made a visit to this remarkable city. No, it’s not the name of a jazz singer or a lost love, it is short-speak for New Orleans, Louisiana. Still on the mend after Hurricane Katerina’s devastating blow in 2005, the city is alive and well and entertaining locals and tourists alike.

I arrived late in the afternoon and was instantly impressed by the architecture of the French Quarter. Visiting in March, it’s difficult to imagine how steamy the second and third stories of these buildings can get in the summertime’s oppressive heat and humidity.  Everything about their design works to capture the coolness of the lower levels and have it waif throughout the buildings upper floors. Usually, dormer windows are only used to provide circulation and ventilation.  The covered porches or galleys again are designed to protect occupants from the elements.

A stroll down Canal Street towards the Mississippi River is a must. One cannot imagine the enormity of the river without standing alongside it’s mighty currents. The commercial river traffic shuttles massive amounts of cargo up and down from the port of New Orleans. It is still possible to take a short ride on a paddle wheel boat to get a up close look at the commerce. Viewing the Domino sugar factory from the water provides a sweet reminder of the slave labor used to grow sugar cane in this region.