Mardi Gras photos are done!

Let the pictures tell the tales for now.

There are three batches of photos for your viewing pleasure. One set shows general Mardi Gras shots: parades, the French Quarter, costumes and a few pictures of my friend Keith's former brunch palace. (You'll know it's his house when you spot the Madonna picture that still hangs in the bathroom.)

To see this slideshow, click here.

The next batch of photos is from a trip I took with some friends to the Ninth Ward. That neighborhood was one of the most devastated by the storm because the levee at the Industrial Canal gave way there. The destruction there is total, and walking around feels like exploring a graveyard. It was a thriving, working class neighborhood, and I understand that many of the residents haven't been able to get back and see the area post-Katrina.

To see the slideshow of the Ninth Ward, click here.

Finally, there's also a slideshow dedicated to Mardi Gras Day. It was the most beautiful Fat Tuesday I'd ever seen. I got out of bed to see Zulu, witnessed the Mardi Gras Indians in the Treme and wandered through the Quarter, all the way to Frenchman Street. I'm so glad I got to be part of such a glorious day.
To see the Fat Tuesday slideshow, click here.

I am so glad I was in that number.