My husband and I, along with my parents and some friends, recently went on a cruise to Mexico that left out of New Orleans. I didn’t quite know what to expect from the city, especially after what we saw on the news of Katrina and its aftermath, but I was pleasantly surprised.

New Orleans is a city that is struggling to rebuild, despite the lack of work/leadership mayor Ray Nagan has shown. The city is beautiful, and full of history. The food was absolutely fabulous – if you’re ever there, go to The Gumbo Shop for some of the best gumbo I’ve ever had. We went to Southern Candymakers for the most delicious pralines I can ever imagine. (By the way, it’s pronounced prah-leen, not pray-leen.)

The music was also a huge draw for me – it was wonderful, and had a style all its own. Kind of a bluesy-jazzy mix, full of energy. I loved it!

I loved New Orleans, but it did feel somewhat unsafe in some areas. There was not much in the way of a police presence, which was somewhat unnerving. As my husband and I were walking down Bourbon street, a guy trying to get away from the police ran into me, and was consequently arrested. We watched another guy running away from security after presumably stealing something. It was sad to me…the city really seemed deserted and lawless in some areas.

Despite the lack of police, it is a city I would go back to in a heartbeat. The people were so friendly and welcoming – and I feel that it is the duty of Americans to help out our neighbors, whether it is physically helping to rebuild the city, or spending money there to help business owners get back on their feet. We hope to go back to visit again soon – I absolutely loved it.