Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday

Today is Fat Tuesday, the day of plenty before Ash Wednesday, and the start of Lent.  Here are a few photos taken at various sites around the world today:

Rain falls on a masked man in New Orleans, Louisiana

In rural Louisiana, riders gather, in costumes, for the chicken race, which crosses the county

Riders and horses at the start of the chicken race - the person who catches the most loose chickens along the race route wins

This year's winner (right) holds one of the chickens he caught

In Rio de Janiero, a Samba school dances for the entire 80-minute-long parade