Road Trip 2018 - Day Nine, Of Architecture And Tombs

It is our last day in New Orleans. I have really enjoyed this city. It has such a rich and unusual culture, such a varied and different history. Having lived now in New Mexico for 25 years which also has a very different history and culture from much of the US, I definitely felt an affinity for Louisiana and New Orleans.

Today we went on another Airbnb Experience tour. This time we were exploring one of the lesser known neighborhoods and cemeteries, St. Roch...pronounced Saint Rock. St. Roch is one of the older neighborhoods, dating back to the first suburbs that grew out of the Old City, now the French Quarter, in the very early 18th century. It is of the Creole heritage.

So Welcome to St. Roch

 Here is our guide Scott

What a wealth of information

For example, remember all the colors we remarked upon when we were in Algiers Point? Well it turns out that is just the Creole style and has been around for centuries. You can see it in Creole communities around the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico area

And we certainly saw it here

 By the way, that what we would call a 'balcony, around the outside? It is not a balcony. It is a Gallery. So if in NOLA someone invites you to a party at their Gallery, it is most likely NOT going to be an art showing

This is a neighborhood in transition with the hipsters in full flood

There was lots of street art

We started our tour at the St. Roch Market

Once one of many public markets, it declined in the middle of the 20th century and then was totally gutted during Katrina. In 2014 it was refurbished and turned into a top flight food destination

After we spent about 30 minutes of historical orientation with Scott sitting down, we headed out into the neighborhood.

Example of a Creole Cottage

A double Shotgun house

Note that the windows back in the day would have been doors

A Shotgun house with a Greek Revival porch, sort of marrying the Creole and the Anglo

A traditional single shotgun house

There are no hallways

Just one room after the other in order to make maximum use of space

These people keep some of their Mardi Gras decorations all year

This whole area was underwater during Katrina

This is a house that still has not been redeveloped

Note in the center the X and the number 911

These were used by the National Guard to designate various information related to the state of the house right after the disaster

A Camelback Shotgun house

You used to be taxed by the number of floors you had streetside

So they would build on only over the back of the house

Someone in the process of renovating an old fire station into a home

Creole Cottage with new style doors

Tired of the Living?

On to the Dead!

The Cemetery of St. Roch

Established in...

There is...of course...a lot to say about these

You can't bury people underground in New Orleans most of which is below sea level. The coffins will just pop up. So you have these crypts. And there is  system that is used. You put in  coffin and it rests for a year and a day. Then you can put in another. If you need a third, you take the remains out, put them in a bag (by this time they are reduced substantial in volume by natural process) and thrown into a space at the bottom, the caveau. 

If you can't afford a family crypt, there are benevolent societies that will buy space

This one dated to 1870 and was a trade group that screwed the cotton bails super tight for transport

(My grandfather actually belonged to a similar group in New York...benevolent society that is)

These crypts deteriorate rather quickly if not maintained and it is not unusual when a family dies out for them to collapse

I chose this one because it has been in the family so long they have had to go around to the side to keep listing the names of those interred. 

The shrine to St. Roch is not available but you could sneak a picture

Still insist on an under earth burial?

You can build up a platform, fill it with earth and put the casket in there

Estaban! You got relatives in NOLA?

Some general scenes from the cemetery

Our tour group...three English folk (dying in the heat), one Californian (married to one of the English and dying in the heat) along with Captain Spouse and I

In the cemetery are representations of the Nine Stations of the Cross so people can do that devotion on Good Friday

I only took this one picture but wish I had looked at more

 Because the representation of the guy putting the nail into the hand of Christ seems rather sympathetic, like it is a representation of a working man

Some had these ceramic images which hold their color exceedingly well

While other cemeteries in the city have tombs of the famous, St. Roch is noted for having the tomb of Wile E Coyote

Tour over

BACK TO FOOD!

Actually had a great breakfast in the market of cheese grits, eggs and homemade sausage but didn't take a picture :(

Then after the tour took in a half a dozen charbroiled oysters set up by this professional

Then we had passed

You want Kebab?

The Kebab crew

Sort of like a Po/boy Kebab

Not Amsterdam quality but pretty damn good fries

Tomorrow we leave the Big Easy and head into the Swamp!