Mardi Gras: Endymion

Saturday's supposed daytime parade didn't get going until dark... but I hung out with the guys setting up each of the incredible Endymion throwing machines (floats with two layers full of guys with things to throw!

Too many photos this time... here are two!




Tbere were 24 floats, each with two characters. Had a blast.

Mardi Gras: Krewe d'Etat and beyond...

On the heels of Hermes... the Krewe d'Etat, a satyrical krewe.



Another parade lit by flambeaux... at least partially.

With horsemen (some of these had doubloons! (The guys called me a doubloon whore... I got several)

Each float had something it was making fun of...

Stimulus Package?

Dictator's Float:

Greed:

And then the camera died!

I missed getting pictures of Morpheus, which re-used some floats from Sparta... and also Muses... the most fun and creative of the night... with dancing shoes, fluttering butterflies and a float called "Put the seat down!" with a toilet. The superbowl parade did have one of the Muses floats... the lit shoe... for the two SAINTS kickers, so you get to see one float anyway.

here's the shot from last tuesday:

Mardi Gras: Hermes

There were four parades last night... my camera batteries died during the second one!




The Parade was Krewe of Hermes, a sort of prelude to the big parades.


More bands! They were very good... considering how cold it was


COLD!


Robert and Johnny...


At one time the only lights for the parades were "flambeaux"... kerosene flaming lights, carried on long poles. Take a careful look!


The rule is that you should tip the flambeau guy. I gave one of the first ones all my change.

The floats were all Egyptian gods...









How about a nice cold beer?

BRRRR!

Mardi Gras: Carrollton and King Arthur

Where am I this time?

Hum... just saying you are in Australia doesn't make it so.

But it looks like a bizarre religious cult...
Heck, you see that sort of stuff on St. Charles Avenue!

The guys lined up for two Parades, Krewe of Carrollton and King Arthur on an almost not cold Sunday morning. We had all sorts of snacks, drinks and even our own porta-potty.

My friend Johnny made a special hat for the occasion.


Folks asked to take his picture all the time.


Here is a bit of tradition... a horseman... most parades have masked riders on horseback, after my precious, no doubt!


The return of the king


Strike up the band(s) Lots of them


Lots of floats... some with reference to the Superbowl... which was later that day.




After a bit of delay... Parade #2, King Arthur
More bands, more floats


We all had a great time...


I managed to get a jesters cap from Carrollton and a plush crown from the King Arthur himself!

Mardi Gras: Sparta and Pygmalion

Last Saturday had two parades on Canal Street in New Orleans: SPARTA and PYGMALION

First:

SPARTA!
The floats were pulled by tractors... the subject matter was fairy tales.





Here's the King of Sparta!

I caught a few beads, but it was cold!

Next PYGMALION!




You can't catch beads if you are photographing... and I have my priorities!


Note the Frog Pendants! And the sea turtle

stay tuned, I'm going back tomorrow!

Saints Parade, New Orleans

The Saints had a parade in downtown New Orleans.



And so Johnny and John and Robert convinced me to go (that wasn't hard!)


The crowds were huge... traffic was a mess getting there.


First off there were police, EMS, sheriffs, and police motorcycles.

Then came the firefighters, including our friend Duaine!
They weren't really marching, sort of coming down the street celebrating!


There were many floats with football players, cheer leaders or coaching staff on them.


The major krewes lent floats from their parades... this one is from the women's krewe "Muses"


Nifty thing... it changes colors!


I mostly spent the time catching beads... until the end.


This is an entire train of a float... filled with staff, all throwing beads.


Congratulations New Orleans Saints...


There was a remarkable amount of love in the parade... everyone was joyful... it was wonderful.