New Orleans

Hello everyone,
Janene and I, along with Emma and a friend of hers (Camrie), recently went on a cruise to the western caribbean. Our cruise left out of New Orleans and we were advised to fly out a day early just in case air travel was disrupted and therefore eliminating the possibility of missing our cruise.

I decided to google New Orleans and see what there was to do there for one day. I had heard of the french quarter in New Orleans and had a desire to see Bourbon Street and some other land marks. As I studied up on the area I noticed that Mardi Gras was 3 days after our cruise ended. I was a bit disapointed that we had missed it by such a narrow margin. However...when we arrived at our hotel we were suprised to find out that Mardi Gras was alive and well. The hotel that we booked was 1 block off the french quarter and 2 blocks from Bourbon Street more specifically we were located on St. Charles avenue and Canal Street (didn't realize this was the major parade route). I also didn't realize that they celebrated the event weeks before the actual Mardi Gras day.

This got me to thinking, what are they celebrating anyway? I asked a few locals and they did not have the answer for me. There was a couple who overheard me asking and they proceeded to educate me about Mardi Gras and what the celebration is about. For those of you who are interested please read on...

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday in English) in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Carnival celebration well-known throughout the world.
The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in preparing for the start of the Christian season of Lent, starts after Twelfth Night, on Epiphany (January 6). It is a season of parades, balls (some of them masquerade balls), and king cake parties. It has traditionally been part of the winter social season; at one time "coming out" parties for young women at débutante balls were timed for this season.
Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and through Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French), the day before Ash Wednesday. Usually there is one major parade each day (weather permitting); many days have several large parades. The largest and most elaborate parades take place the last five days of the season. In the final week of Carnival, many events large and small occur throughout New Orleans and surrounding communities.
The parades in New Orleans are organized by Carnival krewes. Krewe float riders toss throws to the crowds; the most common throws are strings of plastic colorful beads, doubloons (aluminum or wooden dollar-sized coins usually impressed with a krewe logo), decorated plastic throw cups, and small inexpensive toys. Major krewes follow the same parade schedule and route each year.
While many tourists center their Mardi Gras season activities on Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, none of the major Mardi Gras parades has entered the Quarter since 1972 because of its narrow streets and overhead obstructions. Instead, major parades originate in the Uptown and Mid-City districts and follow a route along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, on the upriver side of the French Quarter.
To New Orleanians, "Mardi Gras" specifically refers to the Tuesday before lent, the highlight of the season. The term can also be used less specifically the whole Carnival season, sometimes as "the Mardi Gras season". The term "Fat Tuesday" or "Mardi Gras Day" always refers only to that specific day.

Well what do you know, this is a religious celebration, go figure. It does not resemble a religious celebration at all!

Well here are some of the many pictures that Emma took while we were there.

This is a picture of a typical building in the French Quarter. I cannot remember if this was on Bourbon Street or not.

Another French Quarter Building. Notice all the balconies. These seem to be very important features.

And yet another French Quarter Building. Again with the balconies...

Emma and Camrie behind bars!

New Orleans is the home of Jazz!!

We were eating lunch in a courtyard and this was the balcony above us.

Three ladies who were performing in a park in the French Quarter. Lots going on prior to Mardi Gras!

A fire hall in the French Quarter. This is certainly sub standard compared to Michael's fire hall in Edmonton!

I thought this was a fun picture. This looks like a statue, but in fact is a real person. He stands perfectly still and will easily scare unsuspecting passers bye.

The next bunch of pictures are of the parade that went in front of our hotel on St. Charles Avenue. Notice as you look at the floats the trinkets and beads that the people are throwing. This seems to be a very important part of the celebration.

I was talking with the ladies working the front desk of the hotel and they said that when they were in school they marched in the parades during Mardi Gras. They also said that you would be hard pressed to find any locals who have not participated in a parade.

Emma and Camrie enjoying the parade. They collected a pile of beads and other stuff from the floats.

I think this is one of the coins thrown from the parade.

Well there are a tonne more pictures but I do not want to bore you all and become a blog hog...Ha Ha.

I will in the near future, post some pictures of our first cruise stop at Costa Maya. I thought it was pretty cool because we took a tour of some Mayan ruins. To realize the size of the cities is somewhat amazing.

Until my next post...Love Garth