NOLA 2011

I was very lucky to be sent to New Orleans for work two years in a row. On my second trip, in 2011, there was no longer the shock of the new, and I was able to see this most bewitching of cities in a new light. I started with the Mississippi river.

I took the ferry over to Algiers Point, fulfilling my eternal ambition to take one of these beautifully functional boats whenever possible.

After exploring the area around Algiers Point, I found the Old Point Bar and this gentleman, who told me of his ambition to become an actor. I wish I had made a note of his name so I could follow his progress.

After the ferry, I found this charming historic building, one of so many that grace the streets and parks of New Orleans.

Another day and a walk into neighbourhood I had not visited on my first trip. There I found Blessings Tire Shop.

I knew nothing about roller derbies before I went to New Orleans. Watching this one on the lot outside Bloomin’ Deals Thrift Shop was an eye-opening experience and ignited an ongoing fascination.

In 2011, the Robert E. Lee Monument dominated what was then called Lee Circle, and I took this picture to capture the contrast between the formality of the statue in the soft light of the evening. Since then, the monument has been removed and roundabout has reverted to its original name of Tivoli Circle.

While New Orleans bustles with life and an infectious energy, you are never too far away from questions of mortality. I find the gloaming is the most atmospheric time of day to visit a graveyard, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 being no exception.

A brief stop in traffic on Pontchartrain Boulevard was enough time for me to capture the mausoleum of Lodge No. 30 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Greenwood Cemetery.

Of all the eye-opening experiences I had in 2011, none was more so than the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. There I understood a little more of the connection between this world and the next that is so apparent in that beguiling city.

The Pierre Antoine Restaurant provided a memorable taste of New Orleans, not only via its food but also the people-watching it afforded of Royal and St. Ann.