Apart of that, you got luck with katrina.. I saw recently a documentary about the state prison (don't remember the name now).. and it was not so fun for the prisoners, they led them abandoned for a couple of days if i recall me correctly of the film...
The people of New Orleans were abandoned for four and a half days, living on elevated highways and in the unflooded sections without any food or water from the outside, while the white Republican areas outside New Orleans, with far less flooding, were evacuated.  Only once they were safely out was relief sent to New Orleans.  After 4.5 days.

Alan

PS: with Swiss francs it is not so expensive :-)

at the present time, it can be managed, yes, but don't forget the topic of this blog !! ;)
So now is the time to take Icelandair or similar discount to the US, take Southwest from airport of entry to New Orleans (I would suggest BWI) and stay in St. Vincent's Guesthouse (an 1840s orphanage in the Lower Garden District, 5 blocks from me, 1.5 km from the French Quarter) for about $60 (75 CHf)/night.

I would be glad to help make arrangements :-)

Alan

Thanks for the tip, i'll keep it in my head when i have holidays..

But there's always this little problem of GW, nothing is simple now..