Day 16: Jackson Square - New Orleans, LA

Eric Fredericks • Tuesday July 17, 2007

Today, we head to the Crescent City—and one of my favorite American cities—New Orleans. New Orleans is such a unique city. I have written about New Orleans previously on here, mostly about one of my favorite walkable neighborhoods, Algiers Point.

Jackson Square is the site of this photo. It’s located in the heart of the French Quarter, near the Mississippi River. We were eating some delicious beignets from Cafe Du Monde when some street performers enticed us to stay and watch their show. It was amazing! The acrobatics they performed on the hard concrete were truly death-defying. They did all sorts of back flips and somersaults over each other. When they first started, hardly anyone was there to watch. By the end of the show, the sidewalks were jam packed.

I’m not going to dive into the struggles with Hurricane Katrina, though I know several people there breaking their backs everyday to rebuild. The walkable parts of New Orleans were mostly spared. It was the middle class and poor, dilapidated, and heavy minority neighborhoods that faced the most damage. I really hope for the best in their recovery efforts.

As always, I have more photos of New Orleans for view in the photo gallery. Some of the photos were also shot by my good friend Mike Corrigan.

This article is a part of the Exploring the Walkability of America in 30 Days photo series.

Algiers Point: A Walkable Community of New Orleans

Eric Fredericks • Wednesday August 31, 2005

I realize that New Orleans may never be the same again, but that will not stop me from writing about what was there and what could be again. New Orleans is such a unique city in America. It blends a touch of “old Europe” with the modernization you will find in most American cities. The charm and character of its people is unmatched. If you visit, you will have an unforgettable experience. One of the communities located within New Orleans, Algiers Point, is a wonderful example of a truly walkable community. >>Continue Reading This Article>>