Almost Mardi Gras

It has been said that a Scotchman has not seen the world until he has seen Edinburgh; and I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans.

Mark Twain

New Orleans dates back all the way to 1718 being named after Philippe II, Duke of Orléans,  who reigned as Regent for Louis XV from 1715 to 1723.  After Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States in 1803 in the Louisiana, a huge influx of Americans, French, Creoles and Africans.   And from this influx and fusion of foods, creole cuisine came into being.

We are all too familiar with gumbo, po’boy sandwiches, oysters Rockefeller, jambalaya, étouffée, red beans and rice and shrimp creole just to name a few of the many wondrous dishes the city has to offer.

But what the city is really known for is Mardi Gras.  A large and raucous display of colorful costumes, all sorts of crazy masks and yes drunken debauchery in the streets most notably Bourbon street (which is rumoured to smell like regret and bad decisions) wherein crowds parade up and down the streets.  And from those same streets, men will often throw beads up at women in the balconies in exchange for a sneak peak at the goods.

However, since I will be missing out on those particular festivities, I will rather be enjoying as much food as possible along with photographing as many beautiful locations as I can.  The only real thing on my bucket list will be to visit the tomb of Marie Laveau and place an “X” on her tomb in exchange for a request.  But if that’s not possible, I\’ll visit her altar and leave a cigar or two along with a bottle of whiskey.  I figure it’s the least I could do while I’m there not experiencing Mardi Gras