There are four parades that one must see during Mardi Gras. They all occur during the four days of Mardi Gras weekend. Last night was Endymion. Tonight is Bacchus, tomorrow night is Orpheus and Tuesday is an all day affair beginning with Zulu,then Rex followed by the truck parades.
Today's parade, Bacchus is one of my favorites. Oh cruel God of libations how you mock me with your unquenchable thirst for wine. (I am not allowed a drop of alcohol due to a condition that harshly requires me me to abstain temporarily at least.)
We are to meet some dear friends and former neighbors of ours at their home for food and drink before making our way to the parade route. Again, I will feel like an onlookers while the rest partake of adult beverages. I will be with the all the gathered grand children yelling "Throw me something Mister!!"
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Where y'at
Well, this is my first blog posting, writing, publishing or whatever this process is called. I'm sure I will get a handle on this before too long. We are in new Orleans for Mardi Gras. I really like Mardi Gras. It's one of two main reasons why I moved to New Orleans back in 1976. I say two main reasons because those two reasons created more reasons for staying here so long. Now, back to the two reasons.
In 1974, I was in the US Army stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. I was a Military Police investigator with aspirations of becoming a policeman in my then hometown of New York City. In fact, I had already applied passed the physical and written examinations and had gotten on the police academy list due to start in the fall of 1976. After learning that NYC was in dire financial problems and after receiving a notice of cancellation of future employment I decided to look for other employment once my Army enlistment was up.
A friend and co-worker who was from the New Orleans area invited three of us to his family's house located in St. Bernard Parish and from there we would visit New Orleans. Off we went in I forget who's car and arrived in Mereaux, La. The Mackles were a very warm and friendly family. They let us all lodge in their fishing camp in Delacroix. Yes, the same Delacroix Bob Dylan sings about in "Tangled up in Blue. The fishing camp was very comfortable.
The weekend started with a family crawfish boil at the main house. This my friends was reason number one The food.
I, a Bronx boy had never tasted such delicious food. Boiled crawfish, boiled crabs, corn, potatoes and fried fish with venison sausage, gumbo and all sorts of etouffe and crab corn soup. We ate until our jeans were tight. My god! I said. Is this how you eat around here? This all comes out of the bayous and the gulf. This is how we eat. The Mackles said.
After that meal Manny Mackles (my MP brother) led us back to the fishing camp where he suggested we nap because the day was not done. He didn't have to convince us much and we all slumbered for a few hours. After freshening up, we loaded up and went into town. Manny took us to Canal Street and we seemed to just stand around in the median with what seemed to be thousands of people. A parade began rolling by and the riders on the elaborate and colorful floats were throwing beads and cups and seemingly worthless trinkets to the mass of people who were acting as if those trinkets were made of solid gold.
At no time did Manny mention that we were in the middle of Mardi Gras and the parade we were watching with great enthusiasm was Endymion.
Today, thirty nine years later, my wife and I are going back to Canal Street and join the masses to and fight for golden trinkets once again. This my friends was reason number two. Mardi Gras.
In 1974, I was in the US Army stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. I was a Military Police investigator with aspirations of becoming a policeman in my then hometown of New York City. In fact, I had already applied passed the physical and written examinations and had gotten on the police academy list due to start in the fall of 1976. After learning that NYC was in dire financial problems and after receiving a notice of cancellation of future employment I decided to look for other employment once my Army enlistment was up.
A friend and co-worker who was from the New Orleans area invited three of us to his family's house located in St. Bernard Parish and from there we would visit New Orleans. Off we went in I forget who's car and arrived in Mereaux, La. The Mackles were a very warm and friendly family. They let us all lodge in their fishing camp in Delacroix. Yes, the same Delacroix Bob Dylan sings about in "Tangled up in Blue. The fishing camp was very comfortable.
The weekend started with a family crawfish boil at the main house. This my friends was reason number one The food.
I, a Bronx boy had never tasted such delicious food. Boiled crawfish, boiled crabs, corn, potatoes and fried fish with venison sausage, gumbo and all sorts of etouffe and crab corn soup. We ate until our jeans were tight. My god! I said. Is this how you eat around here? This all comes out of the bayous and the gulf. This is how we eat. The Mackles said.
After that meal Manny Mackles (my MP brother) led us back to the fishing camp where he suggested we nap because the day was not done. He didn't have to convince us much and we all slumbered for a few hours. After freshening up, we loaded up and went into town. Manny took us to Canal Street and we seemed to just stand around in the median with what seemed to be thousands of people. A parade began rolling by and the riders on the elaborate and colorful floats were throwing beads and cups and seemingly worthless trinkets to the mass of people who were acting as if those trinkets were made of solid gold.
At no time did Manny mention that we were in the middle of Mardi Gras and the parade we were watching with great enthusiasm was Endymion.
Today, thirty nine years later, my wife and I are going back to Canal Street and join the masses to and fight for golden trinkets once again. This my friends was reason number two. Mardi Gras.
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