New Orleans: Fleur-de-lys Capital of the World

I don't know if that title is true or not, but I have been to Quebec City (Capital of French Canada) and I have observed a wider use here than there.

(Quebec Flag)

In New Orleans the fleur-de-lys is on the trash containers, on the city flag, on the football helmets, on the tourism brochures, interwoven with the decorations, and nearly ubiquitous. I joked with Katy that they sure do love the  Boy Scouts here! (Past and present Boy Scouts may remember that the fleur-de-lys is the universal symbol of scouting.)

In New Orleans, the symbol is a reminder of her French heritage. The Cajuns are really decendents of the Acadians from French Canada. In the Great Expulsion of 1755-1763, mostly during the French and Indian War,  the British forceably deported more than 14,000 Acadians from the maritime region of Canada. Approximately one third perished. Many later settled in Louisiana, where they became known as Cajuns.

More from New Orleans later....