Mardi Gras World and Preservation Hall

Can you spot me....?

Today was a jammed packed day, I felt like we did a week's worth of stuff in just one day!  After our bus tour, walking tour and cooking class we then went to Mardi Gras World.  Words can not even begin to descirbe how amazing this place is.  Mardi Gras world is where they make and keep all the props they use on the floats during Mardi Gras season.  So we got to tour all the props as well as all the floats that they store in their warehouse, it was amazing, I am still in awe of everything that they have there.  While we were there we learned all about Mardi Gras, it's completely different then what I thought it was!  Some of the things that I learned were its a season not a day, and there are over 50 parades not just one.  I also learned all about the Krews that run the floats and what it takes to be a member of one of the krews.  Our tour guide, Linda, was on a krew once so she told us what it was like, first you have to be invited by one of the exsisting krew members,  then you have to pay a yearly fee.  Each krew costs a different amount but they are all hundereds of dollars.  Then you have to pay for all of your own throws which can be anything, necklaces, hats, glasses, stuffed animals anything, but since you have to be constantly throwing and the parades last a few hours you usually spend between 500-1000 dollars on throws alone.  Wow! In my mind it would be worth it.  Mardi Gras looks like such a fun experience!

There were so many random things in there, there was honestly something for any scenario or theme you could ever think to put on a float, and we passed workers that were busy making even more things!  Oh it was such a fun place!

Reece adores Benjamin Franklin, so he was thrilled to see him at Mardi Gras World

excellent juxstaposition

Here is a picture of our entire tour group that we traveled with throughout the week.  We had some amazing people in our group, I felt like this was the best group of people we have traveled with since we started traveling with Tauk.  I really got to know some of them, and some of their life stories are unbelievable.

When we got back to our bus we all had presents from Linda on our seats!  Our very own feather masks!

After our magical tour of Mardi Gras World we had our very own private concert at Preservation Hall.  Traveling with Tauck is the only way to go.  Normally if you wanted to see a concert at Preservation Hall, you would have to wait in line for at least two hours and the probability of getting in would still be pretty slim.  But we got a private showing before their normal concert show times so there was no line for us.  This was seriously a once in a life time opportunity, it was amazing, spectacular, fantasitic and fabulous all at the same time.  I am uploading a video of the concert so be sure to check back to see what it was like.  This is definitely a memory I will cherish forever.

After having too much fun at Preservation Hall we walked through Bourbon Street to get to our restuarant for that evening.  Bourbon street is a whole different scene at night time, it was a fun atmosphere as long as you kept your eyes down most of the time.  There were a lot of fun street performers that brought a lot of unique talents to the table and they were fun to see.

Tonight we dined at G.W. Fins, Linda reccomended it for us.  Oh it was fabulous, so good and so many different unique flavors.  I got a pork chop that was covered with balsamic strawberries with a side of sweet mashed potatoes that had bourbon, bananas, cinnamon and vanilla bean mixed into them.  Can you say heavenly?  Seriously, southern cooking is just the best.

When we walk home every night, all the antique stores are closed but are still all lit up so we window shop as we stroll home, enjoying the warm evening air and the festive atmosphere.  Isn't everything in there just fabulous!