Mardi Gras in New Orleans

While I am from Louisiana, I'm not from New Orleans. And while Mardi Gras is celebrated all over Louisiana, to truly experience it you have to go to New Orleans. The French Quarter is like a city unto itself. People are packed in there shoulder-to-shoulder and 95 percent of them are drunk and/or in costume. You'll find every balcony full of spectators waiting for women to flash them. Some balconies have even been known to have bras covering them. From beginning to end, Bourbon Street is filled with music, laughter and plenty of alcohol. If you find yourself there, you must get a Hurricane or a Hand Grenade. Just be sure you have someone who can help you get into a cab and safely back to your hotel room.

Then there are the parades. Everyone is screaming, "Throw me something, mister!" and smiling from ear-to-ear. People are jumping all over each other trying to get whatever happens to be flying off of the float. If you are lucky enough to catch the good stuff, you feel like you've struck gold. You just can't go to Mardi Gras without going to a parade. It's a major part of the experience.

Now, to an outsider, it might seem like Mardi Gras is a big drunk-fest. Perhaps, but it's so much more. It's about celebrating life, enjoying the good things and being with friends. It's an attitude that all Louisianians have and we're proud of it. People come from all over the U.S. (and the world) to experience it. They come to let go of their cares and enjoy the spirit that is Mardi Gras. Natives of this great state are some of the nicest, most hospitable people you'll ever meet. And, boy, do we know how to throw a party.

I really miss it. I miss the celebration, the king cakes, and not being able to move my head because of the many beads around my neck. I want to push my way down Bourbon Street, have a hurricane and go to a parade. I want to ride a trolley at night. Hear the street musicians play. Eat the best food in the world and be around my people. New Orleans is a place that once you've visited, you'll spend the rest of your life trying to get back. After all, you can leave New Orleans, but it'll never leave you.

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!