New Orleans > Reviews > Mardi Gras and all that jazz

Putting his paper down and taking another mouthful of gin and tonic, Harry said, “How about taking a trip to New Orleans to see the Mardi Gras and listen to some real jazz?”
“Sounds like good idea, when do we go?” said I, lazily turning over to even up my tan.

Harry had seen an ad in the local paper for a three night stay in New Orleans, flying from Tampa, at a very reasonable price. At the time we were staying with two friends near the Gulf Coast of Florida, well away from the razzmatazz of the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, relaxing in the sunshine in the peaceful area of Hernando County.
Bookings were soon made and within a few days the four of us were parking the car at Tampa Airport for the hour long flight to “The Big Easy”, as New Orleans is known. Taking a taxi to our hotel, we were given a history of the city by the talkative taxi driver and a list of places to visit. When we complimented him on his knowledge, he said, ”No problem, it’s all part of our training.” As we were on an early morning flight, we arrived at our hotel in time for breakfast and a full day ahead of us. It is traditional to begin the day with coffee and beignets at the Cafe du Monde where you will see the jazz musicians gathering in nearby Jackson Square together with a sprinkling of fortune tellers. For a little gentle exercise we meandered along the banks of the Mississippi, listening to the busking musicians doing their thing before visiting the Riverwalk Centre. There are over 100 shops here and many restaurants serving a variety of international foods.
To see at first hand the typical Colonial style Plantation homes and abundant wildlife, we took a tour of the coastal wetlands in Bayou country. The ship’s Captain filled us in with a fascinating history of the Cajun heritage and culture and legends of the swamps. In the evening we just had to take a cruise on one of the steamboats on the mighty, muddy Mississippi, where we ate on board and tapped our feet to the rhythms of the resident jazz band.
Although New Orleans has more than its fair share of poverty, a trip on a streetcar to the Garden District will reveal the other side of the coin, where magnificent Victorian style mansions and Plantation Homes can be seen. It is possible to have a tour around the huge, newly renovated Louisiana Superbowl, which boasts no less than four ballrooms and a football field, the home of the renowned New Orleans Saints. Yes, the very same ones who “go marching in.”
The Mardi Gras parades start two weeks before “Fat Tuesday”, the literal translation of Mardi Gras, and we arrived midway through the celebrations. It is described as a rollicking, raucous and ritualistic legendary holiday with a magical infectious spirit and it is certainly all of those. Entering into the spirit of the parade, we had purchased colourful masks and took our places by the barriers of the main street. After about an hour wait, the first float arrived to loud cheering and shouting from the crowded streets. Soon the traditional cries of “Throw me something mister” went up and we were showered with coloured beads, plastic beakers, doubloons and trinkets thrown by the gaily dressed occupants of the floats. The procession, including several marching bands, horseback riders and the floats took some two hours to pass and the ever present music and good-natured banter made for an enjoyable, unforgettable occasion. The official carnival colours of purple, green and gold, representing justice, faith and power, were well in evidence on the floats and many of the houses on the parade route.
After the parade we took a walk down the well-known Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter, which was ‘heaving’ with hundreds of people in a merry state, happy and good humoured. We pushed our way through, pausing to watch the boys tap-dancing on the pavements and listen to the strains of jazz filtering through the open windows of the cafes. Eventually we reached our destination, Preservation Hall, an old building that had seen better days. However, inside, the atmosphere was magical as we stood at the back of the packed hall, tapping our feet to the strains of Dixieland Jazz and New Orleans blues.

Unfortunately we had left before Lundi Gras, or “Fat Monday”, when a riotous occasion take
s place at the Spanish Plaza with live
entertainment and a fireworks display. At the stroke of midnight on the following night, all festivities come to an end, the streets are cleared, the barriers taken down and the floats and costumes stored for next year. Early next day, on Ash Wednesday, penitents, some no doubt suffering from hangovers, form lines outside churches to receive the cross of ashes on their foreheads.
Was it worth it for four days? Definitely yes, particularly if you are a jazz enthusiast and enjoy Cajun / Creole food and southern hospitality. We crammed a lot into our short stay and we would certainly go again.