Our original plan was to spend at least one day on a photoshoot in the deserted and destroyed parts of the town. But when we drove through it on our way to the hotel, we knew that was out of the question. The things we saw were heartbreaking, shocking and upsetting. It was hard to believe that so much people had to try to survive here for so long time. Deserted malls, houses with no roof, debri everywere.

We hardly spoke, my vision was troubled by tears in my eyes. The first people we saw was just before we pulled into the French Quarter. Here the damage was hardly visible, it looked like business as usual.

We stayed 4 days in New Orleans, mostly in the French Quarter. We met a lot of people, mostly locals, and everybody had a story to tell. Stories that were tragical, but sometimes also full of hope. From shopkeeper to galeryholder everyone welcomed us with open arms, greeted us and after a while told us their experiences. Sometimes we would listen for hours to someone. Often with open mouth, amazed and touched. It feld like they were thankfull to tell their stories to a stranger, hoping that they will tell these stories everybody. Because if there was one common thing between all these people, it was they all felt forgotten. Forgotten by their own corrupt government, even forgotten by the world.

The sad thing is that the projectdevelopers, the yuppies and profeteers allready are taken over the city. Investing in real estate, making plans for a "better" New Orleans, were there is no place for most of the original inhabitants, the poor, the black, the outcasts, the weirdo's and the freaks. The people that were the spirit of "The Big Easy"...

The most discusting thing we saw was on the last day. Royal Street was closed down. It was filled with high society, upper class and yuppies that had a wine and eatery festival. One block further a couple of homeless people were sleeping in boxes our trying to find lunch in a garbagecan...

Everyone we met tried to convince me to go into the devestated area's, to take pictures. But I couldn't do it. We had seen enough devestation. Sometimes you don't need a photo to remember...