New Orleans

New Orleans is definitely a party city. Its buzzing, colorful, cheerful and funky, well most of it...

The glitter is interrupted, in too many places by mundane and deprived life.

Cities are like humans, when they try to sell you a image too hard, there is usually a very strong 'other side'. like Vegas, if you stay sober here, you see images of dearth, poverty and the frown behind the smiles. The city brims with heritage but that too seem divided to the haves and the have not's ..

I, unlike my friends,don't think the pain of this city originates from the devastation of Katrina... but from amazing economic disparity. From houses to cars to the dresses to the lines of pains on people face to their attitudes towards others... all cover the complete range. Very much like India. Also tragedies do not create divide, they just highlight them.

Its difficult to understand what is missing with the city. May be tourism erodes sustainable employment making earning dependent on tourist season. May be the alcohol and drugs, end up impacting the locals more than the tourist. May be we should not have stayed at Bywaters, May be we should not have walked around. May be we should have stayed sober....

But the city leaves an unfulfilled feeling, like I just watched an amazing magic show with full knowledge of the magician's tricks ....