Friday early morning at 5:00 am we had arrived in New Orleans. After 3 hours sleep and after chipping in a Biest Booster or two as everyday on this energy consuming journey around the world (we had just arrived from LA) we were ready to walk to down-town New Orleans. To me this city appeared to be in a post-war situation: buildings damaged and abandoned, life running in low pace, people in the streets that gave us the impression of being lost in time and space… the Mississippi with its heavy burden of legends that carry this city on their wings… impressive and controversial… between swamps and French quarter, between authenticity and tourist attraction … voodoo, ghosts and blunt reality. Tomorrow I fly back to Frankfurt, a place straightforward without any mystery to me.

Lady in Red, Mysteries of New Orleans

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Until now I only know the Southern States from the movies, from “Mississippi Burning” or “the Big Easy”, now I am here, and I am here for such a short period of time that the picture that I got from the movies I saw won’t change probably too much. New Orleans is an awesome lively place. For me it is different to the US I know, people smoke and drink in the streets, they are either open-hearted or closed.
It feels much more like Europe. On the other hand hurricane Katherina left its marks in the skin of this wonderful city. It reminds me of a post-war situation, buildings broken or empty, a lot of empty space where buildings have been presenting prosperity, closed theaters and cinemas, things are decaying silently all along.

the South of the US is different

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Usually Santa Monica’s coastline is very very crowded. The photo shows the Pier view in direction to Venice (code “Baywatch”).  But early morning it is just another world. Peaceful, quiet left to fishermen and birds.

Fishing on Santa Monica Pier