People walk along Bourbon Street in the French Quarter on July 26, 2006, in New Orleans.
French Quarter
Neighborhood Description: The French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in the city, and the one most tourists frequent. Even many residents consider it the heart of New Orleans. It is also known as the Vieux Carre ("Old Square") and is full of street-performers, artists, bars and jazz clubs.
Damage After Katrina: Minimal.
State of Reconstruction: There is scattered damage, including walls that collapsed, which still have not been repaired.
"We're not going to sugar coat it," says Joshua Clark, who runs Light of New Orleans Publishing and lives in the Quarter. "It's not what it was, but it's better than most people think."
Some have called the Quarter, along with Uptown, the "Isle of Denial." In other words, tourists who visit these areas will, for the most part, see the New Orleans they remember.
