The next day, my oldest sister Ivy who lives in New Orleans, took me to the 9^th Ward. This is the area of the city that was hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina and the resulting levee breaks. Although the hurricane showed its wrath six months ago, not much has changed in this area. Streets have been cleared so vehicles can travel them, but otherwise nothing has been removed from the area.

Seeing pictures of the devastation on news broadcasts and the internet cannot compare to being surrounded by it.

After this slightly depressing afternoon, I went with a few people to see a burlesque-type show held in a local art gallery. Entitled the Sex Workers Art Show, this multidisciplinary performance featured a wide variety of individuals who work, or have worked, as prostitutes, strippers and in other areas of the sex industry.

Even with this entertaining performance, I knew there was more to the city that met the eye. I realized I would be seeing a different type of performance in the parades scheduled for the next evening.

Thursday was my first parade day. With parades starting at 5:30 p.m., the route was lined with residents and tourists alike by early afternoon. Since Louisiana doesn't have an open container law, many revelers carried their spirits with them. Being 20 years old, I could not partake in such activities.

The parade floats built by krewes (organizations) of Knights of Babylon, Chaos and Muses rolled Thursday night. Composed of floats, local school bands, Elvis impersonators riding scooters, and other people in costume these processions took up much of the evening.

The organizations select a different theme each year. Some groups keep their themes secret until the parade and others announce them ahead of time. This year, many were satirical and related to Hurricane Katrina. Making jabs at local, state, and national government figures was a common and elicited laughter from the crowd.

The all-women krewe of Muses is known for its signature shoe float. This year, the theme was "Muses Got Game," and the 25 floats entered were decorated as board games, card games and a variety of other games including giant Rock'em Sock'em Robots.

Friday came fast, and from my spot staked out in the center of historic Canal Street, I could see a crowd larger than the one the night before.

Seven parades made their way along the route of packed people. Surrounded by excited screaming strangers (and family) made the long night fly by. Beads flew over my head in to the hands of people straining toward the sky. Krewe members often throw handfuls of beads to the crowd at random and other times they point to a specific person.

One might think that only the krewes throw beads, but this isn't the case. Each float has plastic cups with the krewe and float theme on them. Some groups pass out collectible doubloons and stuffed animals. Muses, for example, give out pedicure kits and a limited number of shoes decorated by krewe members.

After getting hit in the head by beads and people, I figured I'd walk around and enjoy the crowd.

"Its one thing to see it; another thing to experience it," said Helen Jahoda-Mulvey, 50, of New Jersey who showered me with beads.

Jahoda-Mulvey has been to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York but never to Mardi Gras. While she is in town, she's visiting her son, a member of the New Orleans Police Department.

Other people I spoke with agreed, saying that having Mardi Gras is good because it brings people back to the city.

By now, all the floats had passed and the parade route was left covered in trash. Unclaimed beads were left in the street, on the sidewalk and hanging in surrounding trees. Cups, beer bottles and plastic bags lined the sidewalk. Cleaning crews (not krewes) come by every night after the parades to rid the streets of trash until the next night.