Louisiana is another state, along with Illinois, that bears the mark of Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle. The first European to descend the Mississippi River to the delta, this French explorer named the area La Louisianne after Louis XIV of France in 1682. This state makes your heart pound and your senses tingle. The celebration of Mardi Gras symbolizes the intensity of spirit of Louisiana. When the French brought Mardi Gras to Louisiana, it was a simple carnival event, celebrated just before the beginning of Lent. But New Orleans transformed the simple celebration into an extravagant festival, with parades, music, parties, street dances, and costumes. Although New Orleans is world-renowned for its Mardi Gras extravaganza, other towns and cities throughout the state host their own Mardi Gras celebrations. The excitement of the event is contagious all over.
It's not just the Carnival that creates excitement. With her rich heritage of Creole, Cajun, and French, Louisiana life is spiced up with foods like gumbo, andouille, etouffees, sauce piquantes, cayenne pepper, Tabasco, and crawfish. And the senses tingle and feet keep tapping with the sounds of jazz and blues and zydeco.
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