mardi gras mambo 2012: part 2

There are plenty of misconceptions about Mardi Gras. A common one being that it's all craziness, booze, and indecent exposure, when in fact I find you can cultivate your own Mardi Gras experience. It can be these things, surely, but it's kind of up to you. If you watch the parades on Bourbon Street you will certainly have a different experience than if you watch elsewhere along the parade route. 
One of my favorite things about Mardi Gras is the diversity, and how all of these people come together out in the streets to celebrate the season. There's always a friend around, some good music to be found, and tasty food to be eaten. 
Another misconeption is that Mardi Gras is a single day event. On the contrary the parades begin to roll nearly two weeks before Fat Tuesday. And these are usually the parades you want to go to. Mardi Gras day is fun all right, but there's a certain feeling that it's the close of something that has been going on for far longer.
One thing I love that is new to me is that now following each parade there is a float on which you can throw your beads for recycling!
I read an article from Washington Post that speaks to these myths (5 Myths about Mardi Gras), and a well-plotted blog post considering why it's good to take your children to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (10 Reasons You Should Take Your Kids to Mardi Gras).


That said, here are more photos from this year's Mardi Gras season:
A few from Zulu!

And a few from Rex:

It was a Happy Mardi Gras!