Pat and Judy's Travels: New Orleans/FL Trip (Day 13)

We left the RV park at 9:00 am this morning under sunny skies for Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World in New Orleans. It is a huge warehouse/workshop complex where most of the Mardi Gras floats are made and many that are to be redesigned and used in subsequent years are stored. They also have a museum of Mardi Gras floats and "props", the main features on most floats. We had a guided tour of the facilities, explaining how the floats are designed, manufactured, and used. It was very interesting. The company also does designs and objects for Disney displays and other events/locations throughout the country. It is the premier place to go for the design and construction of this sort of thing.

Note the float tire

A float bathroom

Drew Brees is the King of Bacchus this year - his float

Pallets of beads to be loaded on a float

Because the Mississippi River meanders along most of its length, this bridge in New Orleans is heading east to the west bank of the river.

After the Mardi Gras World tour, we had several options. We could walk along the river walk downtown in the hotel district, browsing in the high-end shops along the walkway, tour the Louisiana State Mardi Gras Museum in Jackson Square, or just have free time in the French Quarter. In any case, we were to meet at 2:30 pm to catch the buses back to the RV Park.

We decided on the free time in the French Quarter option and started with a muffuletta sandwich for lunch at the Central Grocery deli on Decatur Street near Jackson Square. The crowds were starting to gather in the French Quarter, but we were lucky and only had to wait in line about 10 minutes to get our sandwich. In case you have never had one, a muffuletta is a sandwich made on a round Sicilian bread loaf. It is split horizontally and covered with a marinated olive salad, then layers of capicola, salami, mortadella, and Swiss and Provolone cheese. The size of the sandwich is more than enough to feed one person. We actually just got a half-sandwich and shared it. Most sources say the sandwich was first served at the Central Grocery in 1906, but others have also claimed to have invented it. There is no inside seating at the deli during Mardi Gras so we ate lunch sitting on a bench in a little park area off of Decatur St.

Judy had seen a metal pig she wanted while we were on our walking tour of the French Quarter earlier in the week. (We think it is from Mexico, welded together from spare parts off of wrecked U.S. Department of Homeland Security vehicles.) So,we found the shop, bought the pig, and had them hold it until we were ready to leave on the bus. We then went to the Cafe Du Monde for "dessert" - coffee and beignets (deep fried dough covered with powered sugar). This not something we would eat every day for obvious reasons, but it is a New Orleans tradition and not to be missed. The line was long but it moved quickly and we were entertained by a street jazz band while waiting.

After that, we walked around the French Quarter soaking up the crowd scene, the street music, and the Mardi Gras atmosphere. The beer was flowing pretty good but the crowd wasn't too rowdy and there were a lot of policeman in uniform and most likely not in uniform throughout the area. I am not sure what things will be like later on in the evening, but it was a fairly calm and very happy scene under sunny skies, no wind, and about 10 degrees warmer than yesterday.

Tonight was Cajun night, here in the arena near the RV park. We had a Cajun buffet and a great Cajun band. They brought dance instructors with them and everyone seemed to have a good time.