Mardi Gras

Yes, I am a few weeks late on this post but better late than never!

This year I spent Mardi Gras weekend with my friend Jenny from work and her family and friends.  A whole new experience for me. 

The original plan was to drive down Saturday morning and we would then head out to see Endymion (huge Saturday night Super Krewe parade).  Jenny's husband Phil and a few of his friends were riding this year so we were going to go watch them.  Then Sunday was to spent at with Jen's family and friends watching the day parades. 

Well, half of that plan happened!  The forecast for Saturday called for rain, rain, and more rain.  Now the weather forecasters in New Orleans were swearing up and down that the rain was going to end by 2 or 3 pm and that the parade was going to get off on time.  Let's back it up to last year: last year the Saturday of Mardi Gras was another wash out.  It rained so much it flooded!  Sunday was an absolutely gorgeous day though.  Because of the rain, the Saturday parades were rescheduled for Sunday and Monday.  The plan for Endymion was that it would go after Bacchus, another super krewe.  The problem with that was that the parade was still running at 2 am on Monday morning!!!  So due to last year's fiasco, they were not going to do that again this year. 

I drove down to New Orleans about 10 am on Saturday in the pouring rain, well at least in Baton Rouge.  By the time I got to Metairie (around 11 am) it was just overcast.  I made a quick stop at the LNS, Acadian Corner, then was on my way to Jenny's (I'll post pics of my purchases in another post!).  The rain finally  hit New Orleans about 2 pm and it poured!!!  We kept close watch of the news of whether the parade would run.  They pushed back the start time from 4 pm to 5 pm.  I believe it finally started at about 5:30 pm.  In the rain.  With lightening.  We weren't sure who was crazier, the ones who were riding in the parade or the person who allowed it to roll!!!??

Jenny and I suited up in our rain gear and headed out to see Phil and the guys in the parade. 

We got on the road and the rain started to come down even harder.  At that point, we made the decision to head to the nearest drive-thru daiquiri shop and then head home!  The remainder of the evening was spent in our jammies, sipping on daiquiris while watching the parade on tv!

Sunday ended up being a beautiful, kind of chilly day.  We had a great set up where we had a table in a school gynasium where we could set up food and drinks and all day access to clean bathrooms (this is very important!!!).  Concessions were also sold.  Anything you could want, red beans and rice, sausage poboys, hamburgers, hotdogs, etc etc.  They even sold soft drinks, beer and wine. 

The day started at 5:30 am as we had to leave by 7 am to get our spot in the school parking lot.  Parade start time had been moved up to 9 am since some of the Saturday parades had to be incorporated into the Sunday line up.  It was a good day of food, drink and laughter! 

Best seats!!!  At the top of a ladder!

Now I can't not make another comment on the food that we had!!  On Saturday we had sandwiches made with Mardi Gras bread.  Oh yes, this is a tradition that Jenny insists on continuing.  The bread ("Kids bread") is made by a local store in New Orleans. 

Then, I had at least 3 different kinds of king cake over the 2 day span.  If not more!  I actually lost count as there was plenty of king cake on Sunday.  This picture is just of the ones that Jenny had at her Mom's house.

Another weekend of Mardi Gras fun, come and gone!  Cannot wait for next year as it is always a good time!