New Orleans was built on a crescent in the Mississippi. The story goes that it was actually built on a site that was sacred to the Indians. Is it any wonder that New Orleans is perhaps the most spiritual city in America? We have tons of churches and religious ceremonies throughout the year, the biggest is Mardi Gras. Yes, it is a religious celebration that comes before Ash Wednesday.

The city is built on a natural levee and the old city or Vieux Carre also known as the French Quarter is the original city and sits above sea level. Despite what you might hear otherwise 50% of the city sits at or above sea level.

The site of the city gave it access to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Mississippi River but it also originally had access to Lake Pontchartrain by way of a bayou, today known as Bayou St. John which also has access almost directly to the Gulf through the lake. In this way sailing ships did not have to take days and days to come up the river, they could sail from the Gulf to the lake to Bayou St. John and although ships could not necessarily come down the bayou still goods could be transported to and from the city to ships in the lake.

The city was built by the French and was touted in France back then as paradise to invite people to come and settle here. Was it paradise? Well, that depends on who you talk to.