I went to see the Krewe de Vieux, on Saturday night, which kicks off the
Mardi Gras parades. Starting next weekend, there will be at least one a day until Feb. 5. It was a pretty impressive sight. Several thousand people crowded the parade route on either side - dancing, yelling and watching. The parade itself was small floats, pulled by mules, and followed by several dozen costumed, dancing Krewe members, and each contingent backed up by a 6-piece brass percussion band. At one point, the music was good enough I actually found myself wishing I still had my old instrument and former skill at playing it. I saw the parade three times, because it makes a loop in the French Quarter, and the last time I was perched on a 4 ft. tall window ledge. It was fun to see people's reactions on the sidewalk as they passed by and realized those happy feet on at their neck height belonged to me (generally surprise, then concern, or "right on!"). A picture of me at the end of the night with my "flair".On Sunday, I wen to the Audubon aquarium, which I thought was really good - surpassed in my experience only by the Shed Aquarium in Chicago. They've all kinds of cool animals and exhibits, including jellyfish, seahorses, penguins, sharks, turtles, and other stuff. I got to touch a ray in a "petting" tank. Yep - they feel the same on you hands as they do on your feet. No fear of getting stung here though, the barbs have been removed. Mostly, I'll let the photos I took speak for the experience...
Then, I went to play ultimate frisbee, with a group I saw playing last week. Dude, I am very far out of shape! But, I hung with them, and it's a mellow crowd, so all was good. I am sore all over today from the running.
Today, I went to Bayou Senette State Park. Not a very impressive looking place, but it was relatively quiet and got me a little bit of a nature fix after two weeks in the city. I'm having fun with the Flickr badges, here's another one!
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4 comments:
I'm glad you got to go to the aquarium. What happened to the zoo and the other place you were planning to see? Those are amazingly good shots of the jellyfish and the coral. I thought you said the camera wasn't working?! Seems to be working fine, from what I can see, though there is a serious lack of panoramas (panorami? panoramums?) ;)
Well here it is Thursday and still catching up with you. We have also been under the weather and its slowed us down. We were looking forward to the cold...just not so much of it....Is March that far away??
Hope you get to enjoy the lead up to Mardi Gras and the Fat Tuesday itself.
The Bayou Senette SP pisc were relaxing as were the aqaurium shots.
Look forward to seeing you in the Spring maybe you can time it for Tia Josefina's 90th??
Well, this isn't really a comment on the blog, but if YOU get up to Chicago for Tia's birthday, WE just might make it, too! Let us know...
It sounds like New Orleans is such a blast! I wish I were there witcha!
--T
Love hearing the NO stories, Mike -- gives me flashbacks to my Baton Rouge childhood. Thank you for the beignet recipe you sent! Glad to hear the aquarium is back some of its glory after Katrina. And please please eat some King Cake for me before Mardi Gras. I never felt like a displaced southerner until I went looking for King Cake in San Diego. :-) --Danielle
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