Don't let the parade pass you by

Last night was the first big parade of the season, Krewe du View.  It jumps starts the carnival season winding through the French Quarter. I had friends with bottles of liquor wandering the Quarter calling me for my location so I could help lighten the load of the bottle. Sorry, I have some work to do. Quarter Rat deadline was more important. Most Quarter Rats have to work the holidays. It's the fact of life when you work the service industries. Man, these folk create their own holidays on their days off.

I listened to the parade pass by a hundred feet or so away as I finished up this month's cover. No loss, I don't do crowds well. Especially down here, a few gun shots and you find yourself caught in a stampede of stomping alcoholics. If the crowd doesn't crush you, the response of mounted cops will finish you off with 3,000 pounds of horse.

I went out briefly after the parade and my work was done. Kind of how you go out and inspect the neighborhood after a severe tropical storm. I brought my pastels to offer my services as a "Police Chalk Outline Artist." I'll get a navy blue windbreaker with PCOA on the back in big yellow letters. The scary part about going out last night, I didn't see anything unusual. By French Quarter standards of "usual." 

Here is a cool site, www.mardigrasneworleans.com. You can find schedules and parade routes as well as history and backgrounds on the different Krewes.

About ten minutes ago....

About ten minutes ago, my neighbor Richard (he's kind of our version of Kramer) starts tapping on doors and yelling like there was a UFO hovering over Bourbon Street. 

Not that UFOs ever really get noticed over Bourbon Street. You watch where you walk, and if you dare  look up you might get a face full of beads or piss.  

He yells "There's a parade coming, cop cars are passing Bourbon now." Six feet away from our front door.

Ok, if it's that close, I'll go watch it. Imagine if you went out the front door of your house and found an all girl parade in your driveway. You would have to at least stick your head out the door and watch. 

The all female krew MOLASSES had a great parade down Toulouse tonight. I grabbed my simple camera and set it on auto. Here are the photos.

Eat your heart out New Jersey.