There is a quiet hush around the Crescent City as Carnival Season comes to a close. It is a time I will always remember as my first and the introduction to what life in this wonderful place is all about. We partied into the night and danced in the streets by day.
Beads….beads…..and more beads along with other colorful treasures made the celebration complete as families, friends and neighbors joined in the revelry. This is not what I expected from Mardi Gras. As a child it was always described to me as something that was an adult event and certainly not for children. My experience was just the opposite.
The delight of children of all ages filled the air as one colorful float after another passed by tossing beads, dubloons and mementos to treasure. This is a time of joy, of being a child again and of having fun like never before!
The float carrying Rex, this year’s king of Mardi Gras was decked out in opulent gold with the man himself sitting on his throne, toasting the crowd and bringing this amazing time to a close in grand style.
We made our way to Jackson Square to people watch and we were not disappointed! Amazing costumes and entertainment greeted us as the sun began to set on a time I will never forget! Experiencing this festive season with family and their friends is totally different from being a tourist. The commaraderie as groups plan food to bring and agree on where to meet makes it such a fun time!
Our sweet Miss Em donned a friends mask, a full sized horses head, to clown around a bit in the square as we sat and listened to bagpipes play. The air buzzes with happiness and excitement, there is no doubt this is not just any other day.
As shadows began to fall and the crowds thinned out I remembered something my son-in-law said to me earlier in the day. “Just think, everywhere else it’s just another Tuesday!”. We all got to release our inner child, be a little crazy and celebrate. It’s going to be a great year!
