The Internet gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “getting wired for Mardi Gras”—there are several helpful sites covering New Orleans’ bacchanalian Carnival, which ends with Fat Tuesday on February 20. One of the most festive and informative is the city’s official page (http://www.neosoft.com/citylink/ mardigr/default.html), which offers traditional music samples and an amusing glossary of terms (“carnival” comes from the Latin carnivale, meaning “farewell to flesh”) and lets you mail-order king cakes, a guide to the festivities, and even crawfish suspenders. A better page is Experience New Orleans! (http://www.neosoft.com/`bigeasy/default.html), which gives dos and don’ts for the parades (“Don’t reach down for trinkets—your fingers will never be the same”), tips on parking, and a history of the celebration. Best of all, on February 19 Experience New Orleans! presents a truly virtual Mardi Gras: a live broadcast from the Orpheus Krewe parade and ball. Laissez les bons temps surfer!
