Beads, Beignets And Bourbon Street

 Mardi Gras.  Carnival.  Party.  Which ever name you use, it is time.  The annual event leading up to Ash Wednesday is known as Mardi Gras. 

This weekend in places like New Orleans, Mobile and other cities around the world, people will be celebrating and getting ready for Fat Tuesday. 

The biggest part of all will be on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.  Score of people will be marching up and down, most of them with heads facing upward to look for the "beads" that are being sent from above. 

They are after a treasure.  The more beads you wind up with can depend on how much fun you are willing to have and how many 'spirits' you have consumed during the stroll up and down Bourbon Street. 

That is not the only place to get beads.  Between 6pm tonight and Midnight on Fat Tuesday, there are 28 parades run by various KREWES in and around New Orleans.  One of my favorite parades is the  Krew of  BACCHUS.  They have always had a great parade with many colorful floats and Big Beads!

I remember the Bacchus parade of 1985.   Lorne Greene was King Bacchus.  I got to shake his hand because he stopped the float in front of all of us Sailors in uniform.    Got a boat load of beads from that parade.

When your tired of collecting beads and the noise, collect your thoughts and head over to the most famous place to eat in all of the French Quarter and eat some fresh made Beignets.   Sit back and reflect on the day and then decide what you are going to give up for lent.