New Orleans is a rare mixture of the Old World and the New. The city has been called "The City that Care Forgot", a nickname that aptly describes its bon vivant atmosphere. It is truly a melting pot of people and cultures, where diversity is not merely recognized, but celebrated. Out of this eclectic blend of French, Spanish and African influences came jazz, Cajun cooking and Mardi Gras. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 24-mile-long bridge, is the world's longest overwater highway bridge, connecting the city and the northern lakeshore.
| 
| 
| 
