What I Learned in New Orleans

Most of my time in New Orleans was spent in hotel rooms – either in mine sleeping or in conference rooms listening.  But I did get out for meals and to walk from one hotel to another.  That afforded me a few opportunities to experience the culture.  Here are a few things I learned.

I have a different name in New Orleans.  I am “baby,” “darling,” and “hun,” to people I’ve never seen before.

New Orleans is like Egypt: the goal is to separate you from your money.  The city has a 9% sales tax.  The hotel charges $10 if you want to exercise.  There is a $25 surcharge for mailing a package near a hotel.  McDonalds does not give free refills. (And I thought the last was a right granted by the Constitution.)

I’ve studied a lot about temples in the Greco-Roman world this year.  New Orleans has a temple where many go to worship.  They make pilgrimage to here from great distances.  The building’s facade even looks like a temple.  (I didn’t get a picture, but you can see one here.)  When archaeologists dig this up in a thousand years, they will find clear evidence of cultic activity.

There is no equal opportunity employment at McDonalds.  Everyone is the same color and gender.

The city has sections that are sleazier than any I’ve seen even in Europe.  I guess it didn’t take long after the clean-up to get real dirty.

I saw nothing to indicate that a hurricane had hit the city four years ago.  I never would have guessed.  I suppose if you really want to take a city out, fire and brimstone works better. 

Tomorrow I ‘ll share some of the presentations I attended.