Bravo HBO's Treme

Dec 30th part 2.... It's so easy to get wrapped up in everything that is exciting in New Orleans. The music, the food, the architecture in the French Quarter and the kindness and spirit of the people who live there. But we knew quite well there was another side of New Orleans, the side depicted so well on HBO's Treme. The reality of rebuilding after Katrina and how some areas had a much slower comeback as less money was poured into the non tourist areas. After 8 years since Katrina many wards are still derelict, condemned and one must ask will they ever be rebuilt? Closer to the heart of the city is Treme. A suburb full of culture who has seen a mix of rebuild in parts, neglect in others. After our sumptuous breakfast at the Camilia Grill we decided to walk to Treme to see some of the things referred to in the show. The Iberville project, evacuated after Katrina and never re-opened. It actually never incurred any storm damage, but remains closed to this day, a whole culture of people gone. Right next door to Iberville is cemetery No.1, a place were so many funeral parades are shown on the show. It is also the resting place of Marie Laveau. (now here's where we flip shows over the American Horror Story - Coven). As us Coven junkies know, Marie Laveau is a force to be reckoned with, so it was a goal to see her grave. All cemeteries in New Orleans are above ground (seeing that New Orleans itself is 18 below sea level - that makes sense!) It is quite fascinating to walk amid these huge tombstones and marvel at how they still stand. In the middle of cemetery number 1 stands Laveau's tomb.
Legend has it she was a voodoo queen who cast spells and caused havoc in New Orleans. In truth, she was a hairdresser, and like all hairdressers knew everyone's secrets. Hence when a screaming wife came at her husband because Marie "saw" indiscretions it was because she also did the hair of the loose-tongued mistress. The husbands would yell "the voodoo witch!!" And so legend stuck. In fact she was very a devout Catholic who donated heavily to the City!
Anyway, many people make pilgrimages to her tomb every year. We were lucky enough to have perfect timing as when we arrived a lady from Connecticut was also arriving with her annual offering that she made at home. We asked her what the offering symbolized? She told us, her offering was to ask to return to New Orleans again, and that she had done it 8 times already and it had never failed. Walking among all of those tombstones, stopping at Iberville to reflect on those not able to return home even still, it was a sobering moment to remember.  
New photos posted on Cemetery No.1 tab.
Yet all is not doom and gloom. The spirit of those who did return and the non-political private benefactors of the City have put millions into rebuilding and redeveloping. One such individual is one of New Orleans sons, Chef John Besh..... so it seemed fitting to be going there that night for supper......