The unique personality of New Orleans evolved largely due to its geography. Essentially an "inland island," it is squeezed between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, surrounded on all sides by a giant oak-cypress swamp. Delve into the city to find the famous French Quarter with wrought-iron balconies, home-spun jazz, Creole culture, unbelievable food, ancient oaks draped with Spanish moss, wild nightclubs and gourmet bistros. All this and much more make the city an alluring paradox of ancient and modern, elegance and decadence, that irrevocably transforms some people into what locals call the "Never Lefts," and makes an unforgettable impression on everyone.