Mardi Gras, New Orleans

Many go to Mardi Gras, but few actually become masters of the art of negotiation. Here, as you can see by the photographers behind her, this Mardi Gras goer has done an excellent job of negotiations with the gentlemen surrounding her.

Her exchange? Was it witty banter, willingness to discuss world peace? Or was it simply the acquisition of the ever elusive bead.

We may never know!

Mardi Gras commissions spend the entire year leading up to this event, creating award winning floats (think Rio and the Escola de Sambas). The floats are often quite elaborate and they're always shrouded in secrecy until the day of the actual parade.

If you can't make a Mardi Gras but you're interested in this phenomenon and want to see past floats and props, head to the West Bank (Algiers) where they're on display at Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World.

See website for more info, below.

Until recently, the black citizens of New Orleans could not mix in with white krewes (recently = late 1980s) so, they created their own special parade and many people fondly think of it as their favorite parade of all.

Originally contrived as a parody of the Fat Tuesday Rex parade, the costumes are colorful and elaborate, reminiscent of the fierce African warrior tribe namesake - and the bands that play are loud, boisterous, and especially fun (or especially painful, if you're coming down from a hard night's drinking).

One of the items the Krewe of Zulu used to throw off their floats was a coconut sprayed in gold and covered with glitter - usually with a face painted on it. Serious parade watchers proudly display their Zulu coconuts back home, proof that they braved the early morning crowds of Fat Tuesday and scored themselves a prized coconut. When I was actually living in New Orleans, this practice was outlawed but it's since been re-instated.

If you can get up early enough - this parade starts at 8:00 am on FAT TUESDAY, the culmination of all debauchery - then you're in for a treat.

Of the many Mardi Gras I've participated in over the years, I was only ever able to rouse myself early enough to catch this one, ONCE (well, maybe twice). How sad is that?!

Memories....kind of....

Mardi Gras, aka "Carnivale" as celebrated in such places as Rio de Janeiro and Trinidad - has special terminology:

- Ball: these are private affairs, paid for and organized by the Parade Krewes. You can only attend a Mardi Gras ball by private invitation. Many are completely closed off to the rest of society, but others like the Bacchus Ball, are a bit easier to access if only because it is a more recently established parade and is sponsored mostly by businessmen and women. If you're an important client, you'll likely receive an invitation to the Bacchus Ball and believe me, it's a rowdy, bawdy affair.

A "Kingcake" is a large cake-like donut (coffee cake) decorated with sugar or icing in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold and green.

The idea is to put a plastic baby (locals call it "doll") in the cake so that whoever gets the slice with the baby, is the person who must buy the next cake or host the next Kingcake party.

These types of festivities go on during Mardi Gras season, which basically starts from Three Kings Day (first week of January) and lasts until Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras)...or whenever people get sick of eating Kingcake.

Watch out for the baby!

This is the traditional Mardi Gras war-cry you'll hear all around you as you suffer claustrophobia in the midst of a tightly packed crowd jockying for the best position to grab the spoils - you'll even find yourself yelling it out as you're drawn into the crescendo of high flying emotions.

Word of warning: watch out for the nuns. They'll stomp on your hands to grab that bead or doubloon that fell onto the street.

And, if you're feeling magnanimous, catch a bead or doubloon and then turn around and actually give it to a nearby child or even an older person. It's a real rush!!!

Most first-time Mardi Gras revelers come to New Orleans to experience the debauchery and madness of the Mardi Gras they've seen on TV - that is to say, the "Girls Gone Wild". You will see and experience all of that - and more - in the French Quarter, specifically on Bourbon Street. Definitely NOT for the faint of heart, or for families. I'm always shocked to see a couple pushing a stroller down Bourbon the weekend before Mardi Gras, and I have to wonder... But if you are of age, and don't border on the prudish, the French Quarter may be your idea of fun. There are people packed on the balconies, tossing beads down. DO NOT feel like you must expose body parts to get them - if the request is made and you prefer to NOT, just walk down to the next balcony - trust me, you will get as many beads as you want. I should note here that flashing is NOT legal; it is also not prosecuted unless you are causing some other kind of disturbance, or are obnoxiously drunk as well.

But Mardi Gras is also for the locals, and for families. The Uptown parades come up St. Charles Avenue, and that is where you will find them - sections of the neutral ground blanketed or barricaded to reserve the space, but lots of space is available on the “street side”. Bring your folding chair, or your cooler, or something to sit on and make friends with those around you. If you are on St. Charles Ave., DO NOT FLASH – you WILL be ostracized by the parents around you and possibly arrested. Also, please remember that people LIVE here and be respectful – do not urinate (or worse) in the gutters or driveways, do not throw your trash over the fences into someone’s yard. There are port-o-lets on the streets, and in the restaurants and bars (they will probably require a purchase), and take your trash with you or find a trash can. Mardi Gras is fun for all, and as they say "The Greatest Free Show on Earth!"

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Certainly NOT a requirement, but definitely adds to the fun of the day! Haul out your Halloween costume (hey, get your money's worth!) or create one especially - trust me, you won't be alone! One year we dressed as bees, and took photos with the other "swarms" and "queen bees" we encountered - too much fun!

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On the Thursday before Mardi Gras, along the Uptown parade route, you will find one of my FAVORITE Krewes - MUSES! Muses is an all-female krewe, having some of the most unique throws of any krewe, and the members are known for their generosity. The most coveted throw is the decorated shoe - a' la Zulu's coconuts, the members decorate women's shoes with glitter and glue and sparklies galore. Shoes are their fetish if you will; on the floats, on the throws... This year (2009) I caught two rubber shoe ornaments, a fantastic shoe bracelet, a giant "diamond" ring that lights up, logo beads with a Rubic's Cube...

Also look for the Krewe of the Rolling Elvi - men on various motorized transportation, all dressed as Elvis (Elvi being the plural of Elvis, as everyone knows). They ride during the Muses parade, and if they stop in front of you, give them a kiss on the cheek and they will give you an Elvi scarf... :-)

The way people live carnival here is something that cannot be expressed with words. You have to see it with your own eyes because it’s AMAZING. I have never seen something like that in my whole life. There are thousands of parades, wherever you go there’s a parade (something similar to what happens in Malaga during Easter). The streets are as crowded as you can see in this postcard I bought. Each float carries around 20 people or so who throw beads, toys, and all the funny and spice staff you can imagine... It´s awesome. The funny thing is to pick as many beads, and things they throw as you can. You can end up like a christmas tree with so many beads hanged from your body.