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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Fat Tuesday - New Orleans - Cold and Windy - Floats and Beads - Food Drink and Fun

We had the front row upper deck in our Megabus.com. $60 round trip. 

Right now it is 5 PM - we are back in our hotel for a nap so  -  we can stay up for the last few hours of Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street. I should be napping but too much budget beer at lunch has me wide awake. 

We left Tallahassee on Monday at 2 PM - our Cinderella Carriage the Megabus - had us disembarking  in downtown New Orleans at 8 PM in a light rain. We decided to walk the 1.4 mile gauntlet to our hotel - as the rain pick up to a windy downpour. Luckily Lulu packed ponchos that fit over our backpacks - and we had an enjoyable walk thru the French Quarter. It took about 2 miles to our hotel with stops at Cafe du Monde and along Bourbon St.

Our Homewood Suite Hilton is very nice - a block off the main parade route down St Charles St. We awoke early to 40 degree weather with 30 mph winds. The Zulu Parade started at 8 AM and went forever. This was followed by the Rex Parade which I am guessing is the main attraction. 

What can I say - floats - beads - beads - and more beads. Everyone has been so very nice - not a bit of the drunken behavior I expected. I still cannot understand what people want there stupid plastic beads for - but Lulu has joined into the beg-a-thon - and she is laden with necklaces. 

At about 2 PM - I had enough - and we went to a nice place for lunch. We had a wonderful pizza - but were surprised they were offering $2 pictures of beer. We ordered one and it was huge - but the waitress brought us a couple pints because the pictures were not ready. We had no idea what to do with su much beer. We NEVER drank this much beer BEFORE. 

It is now 5 PM - Lulu just woke up from her nap and she thought it was 5 AM. Yikes. She was upset because she wants to see the midnight police sweep of Bourbon Street. They march from end to end and sweep the entire street - then say Mardi Gras is over - and then the bars open up again and have at it. What are your predictions that we make it that late?

 

In Mobile AL - we saw the battleship Alabama.


The Alabama State band zoomed by us with police escort


In the Big Easy - we departed our bus at Elysian Fields and walked to our hotel thru the French Quarter.


Beignets at Cafe Du Monde are a cool treat - half way to hotel.

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Lulu posed with the cop - horse - and reveler. Note Lulu;s poncho


Demonstrators on Bourbon St.


Balconies on Bourbon St - people exposing their breasts for beads.


Zulu parade at 8 AM


Floats and Beads - for hours.


This lady looked like Cher.


Another float form Zulu parade


I wonder if Disney approved this EPCOT float


The streetcar named Desire - there is really a Desire Street here and we rode the streetcar.


A float form the Rex Parade.


Those are Lulu's gloves begging for beads.


The is a cool New Orleans firetruck.


Don't Tread on Me float.


Rex Parade Float.


The Florida Gators ROTC were parading - they had sweepers ahead of them to sweep away the beads.


Andrew Jackson is a big hero in New Orleans. 


Many of the costumes in the Rex Parade remind me of KKK outfits.


Our living room at the Homewood Hilton Suite


Our kitchen at Homewood on Poydras  St - one block from the parade route.


Our bedroom - you could see Poydras St out that window.


Our bathroom. Lulu got the 4 room suite for $175 a night on Mardi Gras night - not bad. Price includes breakfast and wifi. We could have squeezed 20 in here. 


Here is some of Lulu's booty from today's parades.

Wednesday - our bus leaves here at noon. and gets back in Tallahassee at 7 PM. We parked our Leaf at the law school - we will throw our bags in the trunk - then attend the FSU/Clemson basketball game - if we have enough energy - then ride home. I predict a long sleep on the bus home. 

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