Gay Bars Starting to Open in New Orleans...

It's interesting that people who think Katrina was an act of god against New Orleans have to take into account that the gay secions were largely untouched!

The staff at the Bourbon Pub sneaked back into New Orleans last week to inspect the damage. The gay dance club at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann suffered little damage. Staff began cleaning and getting rid of "skunky" beer but then had to leave town because of hurricane Rita.

They returned on Monday to resume the cleanup.

"Well be open at 2:00 Friday," an employee who goes by the name of Pineapple told 365Gay.com. "And we're expecting a lot of the old regulars back."

Several other gay bars in the French Quarter opened Thursday evening.

At Igor's, a pub and coin laundry in the city's Garden District, owner Halina Margan had returned after Katrina - and never left, despite Hurricane Rita's threat last week. She was ready to open for business on Thursday, and get ready for the influx of returning residents.

"Igor's has never closed until this nasty little ... hurricane," Margan said. "It's lonely here. We need people."