The Big Easy(a)|活力四射的纽奥良

The Big Easy

by Brian Foden

The people of New Orleans know how to throw a party.

　　What is the most unique city in the United States? This is a subjective question, of course, but many people respond with New Orleans. Part of the city's attraction is its culture, great music, food, and vibrant celebrations, such as Mardi Gras. In addition, the city's history and historic architecture is a fundamental component of its allure.

　　Founded in 1718 as a part of the French colony of Louisiana, New Orleans was named after the Duke of Orleans, who got his title from the French city of Orleans. From 1763 until 1801, New Orleans was under Spanish rule because France had ceded the region to Spain for being its ally during a seven-year war against the British in North America. Then, in 1801, New Orleans reverted to French control under another deal with Spain. Two years later, it changed hands once again as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte made a deal to sell the French territory for US$15 million to the United States in what has become known as the Louisiana Purchase.

　　Strategically situated along the Mississippi River, New Orleans prospered, partly because of its use as a major port in the slave trade. The cultivation of sugar and cotton also brought wealth into the area, and New Orleans continued to grow. Today, it has a population of about 380,000, which is nearly 50 times larger than the entire population of Louisiana when it first became a part of America.

　　Despite suffering disastrous flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans has bounced back and remains a vibrant city. The unique architecture combined with its famous French Quarter and the notorious Bourbon Street draws large numbers of tourists to the city every year, making it one of the top 10 most visited cities in the US.

活力四射的纽奥良

纽奥良的居民绝对懂得如何狂欢。

　　美国哪一座城市最独特呢？想当然尔，这是一个相当主观的问题，但许多人的回答都会是纽奥良。部份这个城市吸引人之处为其文化、好听的音乐、食物以及诸如 Mardi Gras 这样充满活力的庆典。除此之外，该市的历史和历史性的建筑也是其魅力的组成要素。

　　纽奥良于 1718 年创立为刘易斯安纳州法属殖民地的一部份，该市是以奥尔良公爵而命名，他的头衔来自法国城市奥尔良。纽奥良从 1763 到 1801 年之间皆由西班牙统治，因为西班牙当时在北美洲与英国进行七年战争，战役中西班牙与法国结盟，因此法国将该区割让给西班牙。接着，基于与西班牙的另一项协议，纽奥良于 1801 年回归法国统治。该市在两年后再度易手，起因于皇帝拿破仑‧波拿巴在当时做出一笔交易，将当时为法国领土的纽奥良以 1 千 5 百万美金卖给美国，也就是世人所知的刘易斯安纳购地案。

　　纽奥良地势险要，座落于密西西比河旁，曾为奴隶交易的主要港口，那也是纽奥良兴盛的部份原因。糖和棉花的耕作也为该区带来了财富，因此纽奥良的规模不断地扩增。时至今日，该城市的人口大约有 38 万人，那几乎是刘易斯安纳州刚入属美国时总人口数的 50 倍之多。

　　尽管受到 2005 年卡崔娜飓风带来的洪水重创，但纽奥良现在已经恢复往日市容，并始终保持为一座充满活力的城市。它独特的建筑结合了知名的法国区以及恶名昭彰的波旁街，每年都吸引了大批游客前往，这使得该市成为美国十大热门城市之一。