Happy Mardi Gras:)

HAPPY FAT TUESDAY!! "What is Fat Tuesday?" some of you may ask. Fat Tuesday is the translation of the French word "Mardi Gras", and it originated from Christain beliefs as the last celebration before Lent. Most of you probably that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and is the first day of the Lenton season. Now through the times many people have taken this holiday and transformed it into one of the biggest celebrations of the year. This is especially prevalent in the French city of New Orleans, Louisiana. The festivities for this holiday last all week in New Orleans, and are often even celebrated all year long. This brings me back to a very fond memory of mine.

Last year in March my family went on a vaction to New Orleans. My dad had a conference for work down there, so we had the hotel, his plane ticket, and his food all paid for. We took advantage of this financial help and tagged along with him. I have never had such a fun vaction my whole entire life.

It all started the night we arrived there. The flight my mom and I were booked on left before my fathers. This left us in charge of getting the rental car, finding the hotel, and navigating this huge clustered city all alone. This was one of the most stressful parts of our trip. My mother and I picked out a Jeep and cruised out of the airport as soon as we were handed the keys. Immediately, I felt amazed by the culture. It felt as if I were in another country, and I was actually only on the other side of my own!

There were people everywhere! The streets were crowded with just purely happy people! This amazed me considering how much of the city was still destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Everywhere you turned there were people singing. The music in this community was so spectacular. I was awestruck by the natural talent of these people and found myself putting money in their tip jars very often. I saw a lady that was playing the tuba and the trap set all at the same time! Another lady named Doreen, was so good at the clarinet! I have never been a fan of the way a clarinet sounds (maybe because I had to play it and hated it), but Doreen made me want to listen for days!

If you are an avid food critic, or just enjoy stuffing your face and rubbing your food baby, then New Orleans is the place to go. I'm pretty sure I gained at least five pounds on this trip. The food was magnificent, and I could eat that style of food everyday without getting sick of it. Po-Boys, clams, gumbo, and sauce piquant, are just some of these tasty dishes. Ever since we have gotten home my dad has cooked much more variety of food, including things from the south. I love it, and so does he because he grew up in the south.

Another thing I enjoyed on this trip was walking Bourbon Street at night. There were so many cool stores and so many happy people all around. The streets were lit up and people were enjoying themselves to the extreme (some probably too much). While some people find this lifestyle a little inappropriate, I can't say I am one of them. I think in moderation this would be a great place to go to enjoy yourself. There is so much to do that doesn't involve the party habits of this town. My mom and I went to the Audubon Aquarium, and it was so cool! They seriously had everything there! I got to pet a sting ray! It was so different than anything I've ever felt. The only way I can think to describe it is as a mushroom, slimy and smooth, but also bumpy fish type thing! Now all those qualities contradict each other, I know, but I swear that is what it feels like! The shopping down there is amazing, and I took great advantage of it! They had this cute jewelry store that was on almost every street! It was called "So Good", and there had to be about 10 of the total! I definitely think they named this store appropriately, because I spent a lot of my time in every single one. They were all the same, but each one had different jewelry and accessories! I bought jewelry for prom and my friends. It was the perfect store, and I wish we had one up here. We also got to go to the broadway production of "The Lion King." It was the greatest production I have ever seen. The costumes literally took my breath away, and at one point it was so overwhelming both my mom and my sister were crying! Even my dad enjoyed it, which is high praise because my dad only likes racing and football!

So today I reminisced on one of my greatest memories, and I dreamed about going back. I wish everyone could go here and experience the joy New Orleans can really bring a person. The southern hospitality and delicious cuisine made me go crazy. I guess I just had to celebrate Fat Tuesday up here in North Dakota. At least it was a balmy 35º out today! :)