Coffee, donuts and oil spill
Post categories: Robyn in New Orleans
| 08:54 UK time, Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Hello from New Orleans. I arrived late last night to a very muggy and warm Louis Armstrong International Airport. Hopping into a taxi, my driver Betsey was ecstatic to hear I was here for the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ World Service to cover the human stories of the oil spill.
"It is truly horrible, what's happening," Betsey exclaimed. "All of us taxi drivers are afraid it's just another thing that will kill tourism in New Orleans."
Betsey - originally from Costa Rica - has lived in New Orleans for the past 15 years. She told me residents of the city are worried that this oil spill has quite literally tainted its reputation.
"People will think it's dirty, they won't come."
Betsey told me that her family used to go out for seafood every Sunday, but now their local restaurant, which specialises in oysters, has closed.
"It's devastating for New Orleans. We were just getting over Katrina, and now this."
Arriving at my hotel, the staff agreed.
"When are they gonna put a cap on that thing?" the hotel porter asked - referring to BP's efforts to stem the oil leak, which is in its 37th day.
It seems like the oil spill is the first thing on everyone's lips. I've just heard that many cafes and diners are showing BP's live webcam feed of the spill on big screens. People watch intently over coffee and donuts.
So, on day one of my trip, I'm headed out to explore this city and find out how people are digesting the ongoing news of the spill.
