For most Franklin County residents, stepping onto New Orleans' famous Bourbon Street is akin to entering another world, one that never sleeps.
Along with my girlfriend and two friends, I spent four days recently in the Big Easy during the early part of the Mardi Gras season.
Bourbon Street, the main artery of the historic French Quarter, is often the scene representative of New Orleans to most folks. The French Quarter isn't for everyone—Bourbon Street in particular.
If large crowds in tight quarters rattle you, either pass on Bourbon or keep your therapist on speed dial. The colorful personalities, unique offerings (from Hurricane drinks to muffaletta sandwiches) and absence of inhibitions make for the world's best people-watching.
But New Orleans and its cultural phenomenon, Mardi Gras, have so much more at their core than drag clubs and balcony parties.
Mardi Gras, also known as Carnival, is celebrated across the world, especially in areas with large Roman Catholic concentrations. Mardi Gras season lasts several weeks and culminates with 'Fat Tuesday,' the day before the season of Lent begins. The holiday originated as a day of celebration, revelry (and debauchery) before the 40-day Lent season of penance and sacrifice.
While New Orleans' Mardi Gras is best known by Americans, Mobile actually holds the title of the first city for Mardi Gras in the United States. New Orleans' version came later. It's become bigger and better every year since, but it's still an offshoot of a tradition that began in Mobile.
Mardi Gras conjures images of wild women baring all for a string of beads. For the most part, though, Mardi Gras parades are family-friendly events where the only things flashed are big smiles.
Angel and I saw a different side of Mardi Gras this year as we rode in the Krewe of Excalibur, the largest parade held in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie. Four hours and $800 worth of throws later, we doffed our costumes and masks down to our sweat-drenched clothes. Who knew you could get an intense cardio workout by riding on a Mardi Gras float?
Thousands of folks lined the sides of Metairie streets, urging us to “Throw me something, Mister [or Mrs., I guess]." And there's no taking off your mask during the parade route, by punishment of a fine. That's right—there are parish ordinances outlawing the removal of masks by float riders.
Masks have a long association with Mardi Gras culture, long before it became a misdemeanor to remove one. According to www.ibtimes.com, early Mardi Gras celebrations saw many participants wearing masks to cloak their identity for a few days, remove aristocratic class distinctions and allow everyone to mingle on the same social plateau.
As with everything else in New Orleans, there is a family-friendly and a not so family-friendly version of Mardi Gras. Bourbon Street would certainly be one boundary between those two classes.
A family trip to New Orleans can be about so much more—the interesting history of the city, its unique architecture, historic buildings, world-class food, streetcars and the fun-loving nature of most locals.
A trip to New Orleans can also entail a multi-day drunkfest that leaves many visitors with both a pair of shoes and a hangover they'd love to leave behind them.
It's somewhat inspirational to see the resolve of New Orleans residents willing to build and bounce back from hurricane to hurricane. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 destroyed much of the physical city of New Orleans, but the spirit of its people remains intact, on or off Bourbon Street.
