New Orleans post 5 - Mardi Gras

Here's a good question for you all.  Why should you come to New Orleans in the first place?   The answer is simple...Mardi Gras!!!  A long party that celebrates the coming of Lent.  It's a Catholic thing.  Every Mardi Gras is different but they usually last about a month.  So it's a month long of partying and feasting before you have to purge yourself and be good.  Nice thought eh?






You will notice that Mardi Gras has three distinct colors that all mean something different. Purple meaning justice, Green means faith and Gold means power.  All good things to stand for when used in a good way (of course).  They do, don't worry.  Now you will notice people who are wearing masks, costumes and face paint.  Feel free my mystics to do the same because there are not enough occasions where we get to wear costumes in this realm.  Anything goes here and I mean anything.  I saw many people who's costumes were made from body paint. 

Now a big thing with Mardi Gras is the parades.  They happen throughout different parts of the day and night.  You will see some fantastic floats, marching bands playing some good old fashioned tunes and dancers in lovely costumes.  Many of the parades are gigantic but the ones that were my personal favorite were the smaller ones rolling down Bourbon Street.  A small band would play and everyone on the street would start dancing.  Oh how fun that was!  I'll never forget it.

There is something you have to watch out for though.  And that is the beads being thrown.  It's easy for these things to hit you and here is the wild thing...you can't SUE.  I was informed by one of the locals that there is a law there that strictly prohibits anyone from suing someone else if you are hit by the mardi gras goodies.  I laughed and laughed at this but it does make sense believe it or not.  Fear not!  If you keep your head up and watch for these things you are guaranteed a safe bead-free injury.  Besides you want to collect as many as these beads as you can get because they are the cheapest souvenir you can get.  Now it's not just beads you can get.  Bras and panties are being thrown too.  If you catch one of these you're expected to wear them.  Just ask this guy!

Whoever you are dude.  Thanks for being the one to catch that bra and making it look good.

 

One more thing you might want to catch is the coconut.  My companion caught one and it means that she will have life long luck.  So not a bad thing to have.  I tell you this, I may not have gotten the gift of lifelong luck coming to New Orleans but I do have a lifelong memory.  Being here just opened my eyes to a whole new world and a whole new state of being.  I never thought I'd get something spiritual out of this or any kind of realization about myself.  I honestly thought it would just be a good time.  So come to New Orleans whether it's for the food, the crowd or the party.  Whatever you are looking for, you will find it.  It is a fabulous place to be.

Just ask this guy!

 

If you have any other questions or opinions, please feel free to comment.  I am pleased to hear from everyone.