A different Mardi Gras

A couple of months back I wrote about traditions and memories. The past few days have been hard for me. Opening up social media and seeing all of my friends out on the streets celebrating Mardi Gras, and all the amazing food. While this is now my second Mardi Gras away from New Orleans, it has hit me harder than before. Reminiscing over the memories makes me miss home even more.

This post will be about me reminiscing over Mardi Gras, feel free to post any memories you have of Mardi Gras if you've celebrated it before. Or even your country's Carnival!

Waking up at the crack of dawn all bundled up with our foil wrapped sandwiches, and lawn chairs. Ready to brace the hours of standing, yelling, and making friends with complete strangers. When you finally find the perfect place to stand, you then locate where you are going to pee, or strategize how to pace yourself on drinking for the day! The one phrase that was always being repeated, "Ain't no place to pee on Mardi Gras day," that will forever be engraved in my brain. My favorite part was when the marching bands would walk by, standing there mesmerized by the musicians dancing with their instruments and your stomach vibrating as the drums passed. The dedication of all the performers walking miles and the riders, sacrificing their livers, strapped in on the floats disguised with masks, their identity given away only by the code of float 26- neutral ground- bottom- 3rd person. All for Mardi Gras.

As I got older I developed anxiety when it came to crowds, leading to sitting on the couch in the comfort of my home watching the parades on TV. Receiving beads and other specialty throws from my great aunt who never missed a parade. While I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I remember from childhood, I still love Mardi Gras season. The coming together of our community, the food, and who could forget the king cake!

So this Mardi Gras, I showed up to class wearing my purple, green, and gold Mardi Gras shirt (that comes out once a year), my street car socks, and the pride of a New Orleanian. Talked about Mardi Gras all day, took my sadness out in a TRX class (which kicked my butt!), got home ate my last slice of king cake paired with a Abita Mardi Gras Bock beer! While it wasn't the Mardi Gras I remember from childhood, it was a new Mardi Gras in a place 1,224 miles away from New Orleans!