The Greatest Free Show on Earth!
Well, that's what they say anyway.
As our 2014 tour winds down, one last major stop was still waiting on our list. As with most of the big events across the country, openings for New Orleans campgrounds are rare.
As our 2014 tour winds down, one last major stop was still waiting on our list. As with most of the big events across the country, openings for New Orleans campgrounds are rare.
Mardi Gras celebrations start weeks in advance of the actual Fat Tuesday holiday (this year March 4th and next year February 17th). There are dozens and dozens of parades running every day and night (I think they said 57 total this year). We learned the biggest, baddest, longest running parades ran during the final three days. (REX, ZULU, BACCHUS and ORPHEUS) Those were the parades we wanted to see.
We stayed in a KOA campground minutes from the French Quarter. They ran a shuttle downtown in the afternoon, but did not pick you up later in the evening. We decided to ask people on the shuttle if they wanted to split a cab coming back : ) This was part of our shuttle group.
We arrived at camp Sunday afternoon, which turned out to be the best dry day we would see. Temperatures were perfect in the 70's, so we decided to head downtown right away that evening.
Even for a Sunday night, festivities were in full swing. Crowds of people everywhere. The strangest thing we saw? Garbage. It was ankle deep everywhere, so our ongoing joke of the night was wade through the garbage and actually use the completely empty garbage cans plentifully placed on every street corner!
While making our way down Bourbon Street and several rounds of drinks, we lost one of our couples! We actually have no idea how it happened, but as any good Mardi Gras partier would do, we quickly forgot about them and continued on to an excellent dinner With our new friends Gary and Susan. (the bananas foster – prepared table side – was awesome!) This particular establishment had views of the parades as they marched down Canal Street (the most popular viewing area).
It was a good introduction to all things Mardi Gras, so after a couple more miles of beads and booze we flagged our taxi home.
We still had Monday evening and Fat Tuesday left for parades.
Of course the surprisingly cold gulf coast weather showed it's ugly head yet again. (It seemed to follow us ever since we left Key West) Temps dropped to the low 40's with a cold rain. The local news assured us, the parades would run despite setting record cold temperatures for a Mardi Gras celebration : (
The weather turned out to be just as awful as predicted Monday so we skipped the parades altogether.
The next day was no better, but Sheila and I had no idea if we would get another shot at this, so we layered up and pressed on for Fat Tuesday.
It was so cold and wet, our first stop was a bar for an alcohol breakfast in an attempt to keep warm. We were not the only ones of course...it was Fat Tuesday after all.
Beads were still tossed, while a few musicians played on the street corners. Sheila was a trooper and stayed in great spirits despite freezing her tail off. Actually there was so little competition for beads, you could get some of the prized tosses without any exposure at all : )
By very early afternoon, everyone seemed to be flocking inside to the clubs, bars and eating establishments just to get a break from the elements. Lines were really long to get into anything reasonably priced...
so...we found an un-reasonably priced restaurant for a quiet meal. It was really fun : )
Still a smile...even soaked.
This really sounds like a lot of gloom and doom. And truthfully, it wasn't a great experience. But it was memorable, and we did manage some fun moments despite the weather.
* * *
Because we cut our parade days down to just two, we decided to venture out to the Mardi Gras World Museum. (you know how we like museums...plus it was indoors! )
The museum turned out to be very informative AND BONUS, we got to see most of the previous days floats up close since they were now parked for storage!
This was one of the largest Mardi Gras storage and construction facilities, and work was already under way for next years floats! The two pics below are a sneek peak at next years theme...it takes nearly a full year to build all the floats, which are only rented – not owned – by the "Krewes".
* * *
Now I'll take a little trip down memory lane to share my very own personal float building experience.
Most may remember Shelby was a Davenport HS princess, so Mom and Dad were volunteered for the float committee. Each year the parents of the royalty are responsible for developing a theme and constructing the float. Oh what a time that was! I think all the parents thought I was off my rocker when the delivery truck pulled up with those huge 8' x 4' blocks of styrofoam. The girls suggested a Flinstones theme, so Shelby's Dad then created the initial designs and ordered materials. I did my research and found that a fairly new idea (back then) was gaining popularity. Carving and constructing parade floats from styrofoam. Not so long ago, even Mardi Gras floats were primarily constructed from paper mache'.
This Davenport Float building "Krewe" was ahead of it's time. (wink, wink)
The seats (boulders) were uniquely designed with storage areas inside for the girls personal items.
Dino was carved from a single piece of foam and designed to run around the girls and through the trees on a custom track.
Among the "moving" elements were a waterfall and hanging Pterodactyl with wings that actually flapped up and down!
The float was colorful and fun!
...and won "Best Float" awards at most of the parades entered, including the Spokane Lilac Parade.
It was a really stressful six weeks, and there were times we wondered if it would get completed on time and under budget (which was about $800). In the end we were stapling side skirts on as it rolled out of the shop and down the road to it's first parade...
* * *
With a few days left in New Orleans, it would have been silly of us not to experience some of the area's plantation history. (yes, weather was still crappy).
There are three major ones within an hours drive, so we chose the Oak Alley Plantation.
The history was fascinating, and the house was cool. But the highlight for me were the old oaks. Oh my gosh, there is just no way pictures will capture the size of these trees that are hundreds of years old. They were monstrous and beautiful at the same time. I wish it had been a sunny day, but the rainy, dark sky's created an interesting ambiance as well.
* * *
With only a single day left before heading west, we ventured to a local dog park. Rufus spends too many afternoons waiting patiently for his "pack" to come home from their adventures. So we try to incorporate a Rufus day as often as possible.
The park we chose was awesome and HUGE! I really wish Spokane would start to understand how many people have pets and actually enjoy spending time outdoors with them. They are far behind the times, and would prefer to keep implementing laws forbidding pets instead developing pet friendly areas.
This was Rufus's first encounter with a "duck" (black swan) as big as him!
* * *
WHEW!! I can't believe I'm finally caught up with our travel blog. The close of this one brings me to our current location in San Antonio, TX. We are parked here for a month and then will continue south to Port Aransas State Park and visit family.
I'll leave you with an artistic "rendering" of this entries opening shot on Bourbon Street.
Thanks for Reading!
The weather turned out to be just as awful as predicted Monday so we skipped the parades altogether.
The next day was no better, but Sheila and I had no idea if we would get another shot at this, so we layered up and pressed on for Fat Tuesday.
It was so cold and wet, our first stop was a bar for an alcohol breakfast in an attempt to keep warm. We were not the only ones of course...it was Fat Tuesday after all.
Beads were still tossed, while a few musicians played on the street corners. Sheila was a trooper and stayed in great spirits despite freezing her tail off. Actually there was so little competition for beads, you could get some of the prized tosses without any exposure at all : )
By very early afternoon, everyone seemed to be flocking inside to the clubs, bars and eating establishments just to get a break from the elements. Lines were really long to get into anything reasonably priced...
so...we found an un-reasonably priced restaurant for a quiet meal. It was really fun : )
Still a smile...even soaked.
This really sounds like a lot of gloom and doom. And truthfully, it wasn't a great experience. But it was memorable, and we did manage some fun moments despite the weather.
* * *
Because we cut our parade days down to just two, we decided to venture out to the Mardi Gras World Museum. (you know how we like museums...plus it was indoors! )
The museum turned out to be very informative AND BONUS, we got to see most of the previous days floats up close since they were now parked for storage!
This was one of the largest Mardi Gras storage and construction facilities, and work was already under way for next years floats! The two pics below are a sneek peak at next years theme...it takes nearly a full year to build all the floats, which are only rented – not owned – by the "Krewes".
* * *
Now I'll take a little trip down memory lane to share my very own personal float building experience.
Most may remember Shelby was a Davenport HS princess, so Mom and Dad were volunteered for the float committee. Each year the parents of the royalty are responsible for developing a theme and constructing the float. Oh what a time that was! I think all the parents thought I was off my rocker when the delivery truck pulled up with those huge 8' x 4' blocks of styrofoam. The girls suggested a Flinstones theme, so Shelby's Dad then created the initial designs and ordered materials. I did my research and found that a fairly new idea (back then) was gaining popularity. Carving and constructing parade floats from styrofoam. Not so long ago, even Mardi Gras floats were primarily constructed from paper mache'.
This Davenport Float building "Krewe" was ahead of it's time. (wink, wink)
The seats (boulders) were uniquely designed with storage areas inside for the girls personal items.
Dino was carved from a single piece of foam and designed to run around the girls and through the trees on a custom track.
Among the "moving" elements were a waterfall and hanging Pterodactyl with wings that actually flapped up and down!
The float was colorful and fun!
...and won "Best Float" awards at most of the parades entered, including the Spokane Lilac Parade.
It was a really stressful six weeks, and there were times we wondered if it would get completed on time and under budget (which was about $800). In the end we were stapling side skirts on as it rolled out of the shop and down the road to it's first parade...
* * *
With a few days left in New Orleans, it would have been silly of us not to experience some of the area's plantation history. (yes, weather was still crappy).
There are three major ones within an hours drive, so we chose the Oak Alley Plantation.
The history was fascinating, and the house was cool. But the highlight for me were the old oaks. Oh my gosh, there is just no way pictures will capture the size of these trees that are hundreds of years old. They were monstrous and beautiful at the same time. I wish it had been a sunny day, but the rainy, dark sky's created an interesting ambiance as well.
We loved the old style column architecture and gardens...
...and the interior "tours" were very informative with appropriately dressed characters narrating.
We were reminded of the unfortunate reason for silohettes framed on the walls. They were of course images of deceased children stricken by any one of the many fatal diseases of the times. Sadly, this poor mother had lost three. I can't even imagine the heartbreak and pain they endured.
I love this photo of Sheila at the plantation. One of my favorites...
With only a single day left before heading west, we ventured to a local dog park. Rufus spends too many afternoons waiting patiently for his "pack" to come home from their adventures. So we try to incorporate a Rufus day as often as possible.
The park we chose was awesome and HUGE! I really wish Spokane would start to understand how many people have pets and actually enjoy spending time outdoors with them. They are far behind the times, and would prefer to keep implementing laws forbidding pets instead developing pet friendly areas.
This was Rufus's first encounter with a "duck" (black swan) as big as him!
* * *
WHEW!! I can't believe I'm finally caught up with our travel blog. The close of this one brings me to our current location in San Antonio, TX. We are parked here for a month and then will continue south to Port Aransas State Park and visit family.
I'll leave you with an artistic "rendering" of this entries opening shot on Bourbon Street.
Thanks for Reading!
