More flags, more fun!
When New Orleans has hit the headlines in the last decade, the news hasn't all been sunshine and crawfish. The storm and its aftermath, political scandals, police corruption and harrowing levels of violence gave the impression to the outside world that the city was on its knees.
There’s no doubt that Hurricane Katrina left an indelible mark on the city – both physically and mentally – and that NOLA’s underbelly is more visible than most. But to focus on the negative though would be unfair those that have stuck through it and have been trying to rebuild their lives and keep the city’s heart ticking.
This is New Orleans and life on the banks of the Mississippi has never been boring. This is a town with a storied musical heritage, rich culture and tasty cuisine that is unparalleled in North America. As if it needed proof that it’s still cool, its balmy weather and affordable lifestyle are even making it popular with bohemian refugees priced out of Brooklyn and Portland.
While some parts of the city have recovered and even thrived in the years since the storm, other bits have been left to the elements. The old Six Flags amusement park site in eastern New Orleans has certainly seen better days.
The park was written-off after it was extensively flooded during the storm. After a brief war of writs between City Hall and Six Flags, the site’s lease was broken and the park has sadly been left to decay.
I decided to pay Six Flags a clandestine visit and see if the rumours I heard in the dive bars of the Marigny were true. Alert to the possibility of finding the site patrolled by a dozen wild boar and a troop of alligators. This was what I saw.
