Reply #9: For Europeans, NOLA and San Francisco tend to be the two key cities...

[hlthe2b]

that seem to be historically and culturally important. I can see that, having spent some considerable time in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Yes, NOLA is a city of excesses and puts those excesses on full public display, but one hardly has to delve too deep within most US cities to see the same (or "worse," depending on your POV). The music is integral to NOLA culture and one does not get much of the music without the accompanying factors, which includes the bars and sometimes the seedier side of the culture. Does one get jazz from the 1920s without the Speak Easys, Big Band music without the pain of the depression and resiliency post WWII? Rap without the devastation and violence/pain of minorities in the inner cities? I think you miss a critical human factor that creates the culture. One certainly need be nothing more than a spectator to the excesses, but to understand the history and culture, you really can not sanitize it.

My sister never feels more alive than she does in NOLA and she does not drink alcohol, smoke nor partake of any of the other vices, sans the music, history and atmosphere. The entire myriad of culture and history--both good and bad "JUJU" as you will--

I don't know where you are from, but I would be curious how much you have traveled...:shrug: