Sunday Skies - New Orleans

St. Louis Cemetery - located on the boundary of the French Quarter

Tombs in the cemeteries of New Orleans above ground and are often referred to as "cities of the dead." As you enter the gates you will be greeted by decorative, rusty ironwork, and blinded by the sun bleached tombs. Crosses and statues on tomb tops cast contrasting shadows adding a sense of mystery.


Burial plots are shallow in New Orleans because the water table is high. Dig a few feet down, and the grave becomes soggy, filling with water. The casket will literally float.

Eventually, New Orleans' graves were kept above ground following the Spanish custom of using vaults. This custom is also used in Portugal where I took this picture.