Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Say what? Let the good times roll! The language of New Orleans reflects its history and although very little French is spoken there today, people haven't forgotten that New Orleans was once called La Nouvelle-Orléans.

Founded in 1718 by the French Mississippi Company, the city of La Nouvelle-Orléans was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. French rule ended in 1803, when Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States, but expressions such as Laissez les bon temps rouler! continue to be used, and the 18th-century architecture of the Vieux Carré (French Quarter) is one of the big tourist attractions. Above, street musicians play on the streets of the French Quarter.

Four years after Hurricane Katrina, people are moving into new houses. Read "Good to be home" by Brian Gauvin in the September Spotlight.