Louisiana

In the past 400 years, Louisiana has been home to Native American Indians, Spanish conquistadors, French fur traders, English merchants, African slaves and Americans of all stripes and backgrounds. Each group left their imprint on the region, making Louisiana is one of the most unusual states in America.

The highlight of any visit to Louisiana is the city of New Orleans and the nearby Gulf coast. The state's French heritage is most strongly felt in the city, from the Mediterranean atmosphere of the French Quarter to excellent gumbo and jambalaya available just about everywhere you go. And Mardi Gras, held every year before the Christian holy days of Lent, is famous as one of the greatest parties in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year.

Outside the city, in the bayou swamps along the Gulf of Mexico, you'll enter 'Cajun' country. The Cajun people, descendants of French settlers evicted from Canada by the British, are famous for their odd accents, raucous music and excellent cuisine. Their language, a unique blend of French, English, African, German and Indian idioms, is sure to fascinate any visitor. Even Americans have trouble understanding this odd dialect!

North of the city, along the Mississippi Rivers, sits Baton Rouge, the state capitol, a pretty but sleepy town best known as the home of Louisiana State University. Further north, you enter the great American 'Bible Belt', where the French-Indian-African culture of New Orleans fades into the well-ordered farms and quiet towns of Protestant America.