Krewe du Vieux

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mardi Gras is officially here! This past Saturday, I made my way to the French Quarter (along with what seemed like everyone else in the city) to watch the Krewe du Vieux parade that kicks off Mardi Gras every year. It is one of the only parades during Mardi Gras that goes through the French Quarter (contrary to popular belief) and one I was told I could not miss. There were countless floats, people in elaborate costumes and things being thrown to catch! Krewe du Vieux is known for being a more risque parade in the sense that there are people walking around with fake plastic breasts, handing out condoms, waving around paper mache sperms on sticks and riding on floats that resemble genitalia. Definitely an interesting site to see!

The parade route for Krewe du Vieux! 

Jess's friend Mike, me, Jess and Anna Leigh getting pumped for the parade!

If you have to use the bathroom during Mardi Gras be prepared to pay! Anna Leigh and I had to buy daiquiris to use the restroom (as you can tell we are not that upset about it!)

I tried my absolute best to take pictures of the floats but I must admit taking good pictures while also trying to get some sweet throws is not an easy task! I ended up with some AWESOME beads and quirky knick knacks. Nothing like the feeling of catching beads off a float! Valentina told me that by the end of Mardi Gras I will be looking for ways to get rid of my beads because I will have so many. She told me told me last year her neck hurt after one of the parades because of all the beads weighing her down. Challenge accepted! And now a look into some of the floats (warning: some more inappropriate than others!)

A float honoring the olympics and what appears to be a person in a penis costume

The theme of Krewe du Vieux was "Where the Vile Things Are" so you can see some of the people in front of this particular float dressed in monster like costumes resembling the book Where the Wild Things Are. 

No caption really needed for this!

Or this either....

Attack of the Zombie Fish float... they are so intricate, bright and well decorated it's amazing. 

I think the coolest thing about Mardi Gras is the energy that surrounds it. Let's face it - how miserable can you be at a parade where people are dressed in ridiculous costumes? The crowds can be a bit overwhelming at times (especially when hundreds of people all want everything that is being thrown!) but I tried to see past that and settle in the beauty that I think Mardi Gras is. It is a celebration, it is history, it is ridiculous, it is fun and it brings everyone in the city together. I think that has become one of my favorite parts of New Orleans -the events that bring the city together as one. The Saints, Mardi Gras, Cajun cuisine, Bayous, Fleur du Lis...New Orleans looks, feels and tastes different from any other place in the world. To be experiencing all that is truly a blessing in so many ways.

Lesson from the Journey: In the moment, parade throws feel like the only thing you want in the entire world. All dignity and manners go out the window.