This quote is attributed to Mark Twain: “It has been said that a Scotchman has not seen the world until he has seen Edinburgh; and I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans.”
Well, this year I did not make it to Fat Tuesday in New Orleans, but I was there on a number of other occasions to continue my Flaneur habit of walking my camera, Nola, around the French Quarter (FQ)
Visually the architecture, which is late-18th century to mid-19th century, is fascinating, unlike any other US city. One finds it difficult to locate two similar structures, and consequently, I find this area to be one of the most interesting places in the United States. However, it’s the people who to me are the most compelling: the homeless, the tourists, and those who call the FQ home. The other “regular” residents of New Orleans are almost like tourists in the FQ themselves—they visit on special occasions or go to a restaurant, but I know some who refuse to even set foot there.
Buy a T-Shirt? “Some people walk their dog; I walk my camera.”