Carnival

Boisterous Mardi Gras despite Terrorangst

Who in the USA carnival will celebrate, pilgrims came to New Orleans and the famous Mardi Grass. The Terrorangst also has before the Party stronghold of not stopping in the face, but the citizens could still not celebrate hold.

The streets of the French quarter of New Orleans Shine in a colourful Shine. Everywhere you will see colorfully decorated facades and garlands, many in purple, Green and Gold, the historic colors of Mardi Gras. Because New Orleans is not only the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana, but also of the Mardi Gras. Translated, means “Fat Tuesday”, and this is Tuesday in the US southern States and extremely popular.

In 1857, drew the first Parade through the city, and since then has not changed: Voodoo and native American rituals and a bit of old Europe meet here. Since 1875 is the Mardi Gras even an official holiday. In the with tourists popular French quarter wind moves through the St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street. Floats, groups on foot and Jazzkapellen alternate. Deafening music sounds through the streets, colorful strings of beads are thrown, and everywhere, wherever we look, is celebrated omitted.

New Orleans is krisenerprobt

Dana Sukantarak is extra from Washington to New Orleans come. She celebrates the Mardi Gras for the first Time: “I go to the parades and then later along with friends in Bars,” she says. Of course, she has also heard that mayor Mitch Landrieu in view of the increased terror threat more security measures are arranged. “More security is mostly good”, commented on, they are reticent, “but I will not let them celebrate not spoil.”

Waiting for the Parade – and the police presence

Loure Miller comes from New Orleans and feels similar to: “We have the hurricane Katrina survived, we had yellow fever, Cholera and other disasters”, and then adds, almost defiantly added: “Here in New Orleans we don’t live in fear.” Many say that one of the parades more uniforms than usual looks. Miller speaks of a “heavy police presence”, but she is determined so to celebrate as in previous years.

Also Jim Landry thinks so, also a born and bred New DVD player. “I love Mardi Gras. It’s in my genes,” he says. “My grandfather loved Mardi Gras and my father as well. My brother and I were always the two at the Mardi Gras parades.” And also this year is Jim Landry back in Mardi Gras fever. If you believe the polls, the attacks in Paris and San Bernadino the Americans in Terrorfurcht to since the attacks of “9/11”, not more that 11. September, when two planes into the towers of the World Trade center raced. Landry wants to get in front of the rampant fear but not in captivity. Now is only celebrated right.

“Pickpockets are the bigger danger”

In the crowd, have pickpockets easy game

New Orleans, with its proximity to the national Oil reserves in the United States and the strategically important transport routes, has always been a “possible target for Terror” have been,” he says. “You have to be attentive, but the bigger danger are the pickpockets, not the terrorists.” But also have Landry so far not spoiled the fun. “It is just fantastic, part of the Show to be”, so the elaborately costumed man. The Great thing about Mardi Gras is that it is open for all: “no matter whether you are a multimillionaire or a homeless person is: Everyone can join in and have fun.”

A Feast for the family

For Loure Miller is the Mardi Gras above all, a Celebration of the family. She moved in 2005 to New Orleans a year after hurricane Katrina cut a swath of devastation through the city had drawn. She works at the reception of the “Cornstalk”Hotels in the French quarter, and feels long at home. Particularly loves you at the Mardi Gras the parades of the children and the schools. Compared with the Cologne carnival is fat Tuesday less European and more with a Caribbean, you will find it – what, above all, to the costumes and the music recognize. And “excesses” as in Rio, there is not. “In the media one reads many reports of nudity, and Drunken, but this is completely exaggerated,” believes Loure Miller.

Cologne is not New Orleans

Also it has of the incidents in Cologne on new year’s eve belongs, than women of men with Arabic Background sexually molested. “That is terrible. No one wants to that something in his city happens,” she says, and is confident that it is Mardi Gras not to such Attacks. Two miles away, there is a Islamic center, where parts of the Muslim Community lived, and told the young woman. Of problems she has never heard, neither from too much alcohol consumption is still harassment.

The citizens of New Orleans can be your carnival not by Terrorängste spoil

In the run-up to the big Karnevalsparty has been the increased security measures the issue in the local Newspapers. So should be during the Mardi Gras more police officers in the city patrol, including police officers from the surrounding areas. “Officials of the Ministry of homeland security arrived in the gallery over and told us that we should be vigilant,” says the staff member of a gallery in the Royal Street. Have you and your colleagues but not deterred, just as much to celebrate as in previous years.

“See it, say it!”

The local TV station WGNO reported, in the French quarter were for the purpose of Monitoring “all the available cameras” have been installed. The employees obviously many citizens of the city. “See it, say it!” (See it, say it), the appeal of the police at the vigilance of the population, could be the secret Motto of this carnival season, joked prompt someone. And a other sets still one drauf: “Obviously, no good times, to walking naked.”