Monday and a snake Part II

Once we returned to camp, I got in my car and searched for batteries to power up the camera. Here are shots from St. Bernard that need to be seen to be believed.

Tough to get a good burger in town. McDonald's has wild things living inside it and there's a train car on top of Burger King.


Here's the main boulevard in the neighborhood where we're working. Unsettling human tragedy? Yes it is.


Some homes were not where they were built. Like Dorothy, a tornado came and blew them away. Like this house that is blocking a street. Millions spent and no one came to move this house?
Same house from the other end of the street:

This house slid down the street and -- splat! -- found rest next to one of its neighboring domiciles. You have to drive around it. Life as normal in St. Bernard!

While Rob and I drove around we encountered this house hosting this sign. It reads "Allstate says I only have $7,106 in damage and my home is livable":


With this truck in the driveway. Oops, on top of the driveway. In a tree and over a fence. Looks like it's levitating, huh?


The home was being gutted by church group in New Jersey. (South Jersey, as one kid corrected.) Apparantly the owner made a claim to Allstate and Allstate came back and said he would receive $12,000 in damages. He complained, saying it was too low. They came back with a second offer: $7,000. You certainly are in good hands!

Here's more unbelievable shots of the house. He made another sign next to the front door that warns people from Allstate.


An Americorp volunteer tells me that a problem is that the insurance companies are trying to play games with the terms of the damage. If you have flood insurance but no hurricance, they'll say your damage was hurricane related. If you have hurricane insurance but no flood, they'll say it was the flood. So people are left fighting these companies while their homes sit in rot.

This being New Orleans, some people try to mine any kind of dark humor from tragic consequences. Some homes had spray markings that said "for sale -- dirt cheap." Here's a few others. Strategically placed froggie stares at you as you drive by (this is from the house that slammed into the other house. You have to squeeze your car by to get past it and when you do, you're looking through the kitchen window. Just like a drive-through!)



Here, a mannequin is propped up to welcome visitors to the lovely ruins inside.


Other homes had -- you guessed it -- warnings that snakes were spotted inside. Watch out!

This snake warning is on the side column of the front porch.

This one has many messages, what pets were saved, when. And snakes inside! Notice the blue tarped roof.

And, to end, some more snapshots of both human turmoil and apathy. Enjoy and discuss with friends!

Abandoned truck with no tires. But littered with permanent stickers offering cash and removal!

Home with a cross placed right above the door. God help us all -- I agree!


Welcome home!

Home in tatters next to levee (pickup truck sprayed "please don't take"). And what happened to his next door neighbor?...


Moved out of town! Well, his house did. Home vanished. Just the front gate remains. And the plumbing. Nice to know if you need to throw up after walking through the 'ol neighborhood and don't want to make a mess. Come to think of it, just hurl on the ground. The neighborhood's a mess already.