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Further Distractions Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World Blaine Kern has long been the king of the artists who create the stupendous Mardi Gras parade floats. Here, visitors can watch the floats being built on a tour of the facility, often conducted by Kern himself. A Mardi Gras film, photographs, carnival souvenirs and costumes for children to try on complete the experience. 233 Newton Street, across the river at Algiers Point Tel: (504) 361 7821. Website: www.mardigrasworld.com Transport: Free shuttle meets the Canal Street ferry to take visitors to the site. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1630; variable during Mardi Gras. Admission: US$13.50. St Louis Cemetery No 1 New Orleans is famous for its above-ground cemeteries or ‘Cities of the Dead’. Because the high water table made underground burial difficult, people built ornate marble tombs and vaults, decorated with statuary, mosaics, wrought-iron and other ornamentation, above ground. St Louis Cemetery No 1, just above the French Quarter, dates back to 1789 and is the oldest of the city’s many such burial grounds. It is also one of the most atmospheric, with crumbling tombs and the graves of some of the city’s historic personages, including the voodoo queen Marie Laveau. The cemeteries are vast, not patrolled and can attract crime, so tourists should visit them as part of a guided tour (see Tours of the City). Basin Street between Conti and St Louis Streets Transport: Bus 57. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1500. Admission: Free. |
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