NEW ORLEANS -- The crowds were small but they were enthusiastic.
The streets of New Orleans were filled Saturday with marching bands, brightly decorated floats and flying plastic beads.
Five Mardi Gras parades rolled back-to-back under cloudy damp skies through neighborhoods left mostly unscathed by Hurricane Katrina. Many of the residents who turned out said Mardi Gras is an important part of the city's heritage
Universal Orlando has constructed a replica of the French Quarter that covers three city blocks.

In St. Louis, they've changed the name of the popular "hurricane" cocktail to Southern Comfort punch out of respect for storm victims.
(sorry, I think this is too sily for words, it's not like hurricans have never killed anyone before in New Orleans, and of course they have caused flooding before and loss-of-life, that's why the drink is a toe-curler and you drink it to gain power and control, (funny, hubby lost his control, lol))


Patty