Mardi Gras and a Birthday

Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, is the day in Roman Catholic tradition that marks the last day before the Christian season of Lent. As Lent is the remorseful and somber 40ish days before Easter, in which in Christian tradition remembers and honors the death of Jesus, it had traditionally been taught that during this time to not have any parties or celebrations. In order to do so and not waste any sweeteners like fats, grease and sugars, these foods would be became used up on the day of Fat Tuesday. As such, Mardi Gras became a sort of last grand party before Easter.

Fast forwarding a few hundred years...

Today, when you think of Mardi Gras in the States, you naturally think of the infamous city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Having never been there for Mardi Gras, all I knew was from videos and pictures. I grew up believing Mardi Gras was just one day - one beautiful, colorfully beaded, musical, jovial day of parades and festivities. I was wrong.

Mardi Gras has taken on a life of its own. It is a beautiful, colorfully beaded, musical, jovial SEASON!

Friday, 15 February, Orsuré and I arrived in Mobile, Alabama. We were pleasantly surprised to find a really gorgeous city - and one decorated for Mardi Gras! There was a lot to see.

Wanting to relax a little bit after driving many hours that day, we parked down a side street, put up our reflectix and took a nap. We awoke to find the street directly infront of us had been gated off. What was going on?! We quickly learned that along that route later in the night was a Mardi Gras parade called Conte Cavalliers. Here in Mobile, this parade marked the beginning of the Mardi Gras season, with multiple parades and festivities happening each week, leading up to the final day of Mardi Gras, Tuesday, March 5th.

This particular parade, Conte Cavelliers, has been happening annually since 1977. This year was the 42nd anniversary of the parade. This fact was made even more special to us, as 1977 was the year of Orsuré's birth. He would be turning 42 himself in a week from that day on Friday, 22 February.

By the end of the parade we were thoroughly beaded. Orsuré and I each had over 20 strings of beads around our neck. We had also caught luminescent rings and decorated ourselves with them too. And, we now were the proud owners of three plush stuffed animals, multiple frisbees, and too much candy. What an evening! What a great way to kick off the week leading up to Orsuré's birthday!

Doing a little bit more research about Mobile, Alabama, and Mardi Gras, we learned that Mobile was the actual birthplace of Mardi Gras in the USA. Mardi Gras has become ubiquitous with New Orleans, but in reality Mardi Gras was first introduced in Mobile, and adopted in New Orleans. Fun interesting fact.

The next day we began to travel further west, towards New Orleans. Along our travels we stopped in a few cities throughout coastal Mississippi, such as Pascagoula and Biloxi. These cities alike had their own Mardi Gras regalia decorating homes and streets. Mardi Gras is a really big thing down here - and I'm thinking it should be everywhere!

It was a few days before Orsuré's birthday by the time we got into New Orleans, Louisiana. Driving around through the city, we immediately fell in love with the beauty of everything - the nature, the homes, the architecture, the decorations. In addition to this, everyone in every part of the city seemed to be decorated in some combination of the purple, green and gold regalia of Mardi Gras! What a site!

Deciding to visit Audubon Park along the Mississippi we met a few people who live in New Orleans. One of whom had transplanted from Las Vegas. We learned that we had stumbled upon the site where locals come to "kick it" or relax and unwind. The person from Las Vegas shared that she has lived here for over three years now and loves everything about New Orleans.

According to her, unlike Las Vegas, New Orleans is oozing with culture and everyone throughout the entire city takes part in local festivities. We also learned that Mardi Gras is in fact a season, and the first Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans began in the first half of January, with the season going until Tuesday, 5 March. And, we learned that each week of Mardi Gras hosts several parades and festivities happening all throughout the city.

How awesome! We arrived in New Orleans during its Mardi Gras season! What a great way to celebrate Orsuré's birthday!

We probably would have stayed through the last day of Mardi Gras, Tuesday, 5 March, however we had already made plans to be in Dallas, Texas, shortly after that and wanted to specifically see Austin and Waco before arriving. Regardless, we get to celebrate Mardi Gras (the season) here in New Orleans!! AND - It coincides with Orsuré's 42nd birthday!

Friday, 22 February arrives. It is now officially Orsuré's birthday! We like to do little celebrations of the day, the week and the month of the person's birthday. So, technically for us Orsuré's birthday/week/month started before this date. But today Orsuré turned 42! Happy birthday, Orsuré! I love you!!

In honor of his birthday, the night before I had sneakily hung up some birthday decorations and blew up a few balloons. This would be the first birthday we would spend on the road traveling in ShaVanda, and I was determined to make it as special and surprising as possible. ... This obviously included planning a Mardi Gras parade in Orsuré's honor to take place along Burboun Street in New Orleans's French Quarter. Duh! I did that. Yep!

(Actually, learning that there were parades going on everywhere throughout the city, we checked online for the schedule of Mardi Gras parades. We found out that a parade was going to be going down Burboun Street the afternoon of Orsuré's birthday. Naturally we had to join! This would be our first time on this trip visiting the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. And what a time it was!)

The parade was really amazing! It seemed to be broken into a few parts and they seemed to go up and down various side streets and up, down and across Bourbon Street. To me, it seemed pretty random - and seemed to fit perfectly with the party that was alive and thriving around us on the street.

We went to a parade on Bourbon Street for Mardi Gras for Orsuré's birthday! How cool is that?!

Capping off our time in New Orleans and as a finale of Orsuré's birthday week and month, on Wednesday, 27 February, we went to a lunch buffet at Dooky Chase's Restaurant. It has been around since the 1940s, serving some of the most amazing soul food either of us have ever had. The restaurant is celebrated as a local icon with its history as a place of African American food, music, and art. And today it is home to hundreds of amazing painted art pieces, which we had the honor of eating among.

In their times the restaurant has hosted several US Presidents, including President Obama, and a former Catholic Pope. While eating here, we got to revel in this history and the history, magic and wonder that makes New Orleans what it is. As with everywhere else, the inside was decorated with Mardi Gras pageantry. Not in a way that took away from, but in a way that enhanced the masterpieces hanging on the walls.

This was the perfect way to conclude our time in New Orleans. And, after lunch we began to head further west, towards Texas.

New Orleans, Mobile and other gulf coast cities - thank you for making Mardi Gras what it is today. You have been so fun! We are so glad we got to enjoy Mardi Gras with you all!

New Orleans, you are magical. Thank you for sharing your magic with us. And, thank you for making Orsuré's birthday - day, week and month - extra special!

We don't know when it will be, but we are excited to come back to visit you again, New Orleans!

Happy Birthday, Orsuré! AND Happy Mardi Gras, everyone!

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