It’s Ash Wednesday and New Orleans is in a pensive mood of contemplation and reflection suitable for the season of Lent. Fat Tuesday was warm with scattered showers and the massive thunder storms that threatened yesterday held off until this morning helping give the city an even greater sense of being washed clean of the sins of Carnival excesss.
The celebration of Mardi Gras officially ended with the traditional march of police up Bourbon St and the saluting of the crowd (mostly locals) at the corner of Bourbon and St Ann streets. Not coincidentally, two corners on that interesection are the occupied by gay nightclubs and the crowds are enthusiastic in cheering the police for their work over the past two weeks.
The other great tradition after Mardi Gras continued long into the night as revelers were heading home.
This was a good carnival season as Mardi Gras was late this year, actually the next to latest day it can occur. During the season we’ve had parades galore,
Mardi Gras Indians,
parties and food 
beads and babes and bikes
celebrations with friends both old and new.
Sure some people try to spoil the fun but sometimes their boss shows up to keep them in line.
So another Mardi Gras is in the books. We’d think about next year but first we have St. Patricks Day parades this weekend, then French Quarter Fest, then Jazz Fest, then … well you get the idea.
I’ll be posting some more pics on my Flicker account and here’s some links to pics by Ernie Svenson and the Times Picayune.
Until next time, peace love and crawfish.
