Day 13: Mardi Gras! (Fat Tuesday)

I've never had any desire to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The whole concept of over-indulgence and the behaviors typically related to it's observance on the day before a "holy" day (Ash Wednesday) turns me off as a Christian....

But, I have to admit, the parades we saw today were a lot of fun. At the least it was a new experience in a very different culture for us. Imagine tens of thousands of people lined up along a main street as hundreds of floats (we saw 3 parades back to back to back) go by. And every float is carrying lots of people who are tossing beads and trinkets to the crowds.

It was a chilly day with a brisk wind. Gail's been trying all day to get warm! But you endured the cold because it was such a unique experience. True, there were a lot of people getting sauced, and by the end of the day some were getting a bit obnoxious. But nothing too bad. And for those who are dying to know, these parades were in a fairly family friendly environment - lots of children present - and no one bared anything.

What is happening tonight in the French Quarter is I'm sure another story!

So we collected hundreds of strands of beads, as did everyone around us. Millions of those things must be given out during Mardi Gras. Saw some interesting, and mostly tacky floats. Heard some pretty good bands. And laughed a lot.

Paul and Jenny South were with us, along with their three kids, Tucker (a Nags Header), Griffin and Ann Claire. It was a lot of fun watching them react to the parade.

We wanted to eat this evening at a place with local flavor, and Gail found a great restaurant. Copelands. It became one of my top five all time places to eat real fast. Crawfish etoufee, shrimp creole, stuffed catfish, and red beans and rice that was so spicy it made Gail break out into a sweat! Plus, they had low carb cheesecake!!!

Tomorrw we're hoping to catch a guided bus tour through some of the historic sites of New Orleans before heading into Texas. Enjoy the pics!