So how did it compare to New Orleans on St. Paddy's Day? The better question is, how does anything compare to New Orleans, period?
I had hoped to post one of my favorite pictures from my St. Paddy's weekend in NO, circa 2001, but I am still not really moved in anywhere, and I don't have access to a scanner. The parade in NO was outstanding. There really are not too many parades you could say that about without sounding particularly lame. But on the bayou, everything is cool.
Here is a quick recap of St. Patrick's Day in New Orleans: First, understand that it is like a mini-Mardi Gras. My hopes were high, to say the least. Upon coming to town, we stopped at a gas station where smack in the middle of the mini-mart was a cooler full of icy tall boys. Remember, this was at a gas station. We filled our own cooler, and bought one for the road. (We were walking, don't get too excited.) Proudly walking down the street non-chalantly drinking a cold one was quite liberating and empowering. What a town!
We set up shop on a sidewalk along the parade route. Yes, we would be watching the parade. The sidewalks filled with green-clad, beer-toting guys and gals, and the anticipation was palpable.
Finally, game time. First, the typical New Orleans band with the brass horns and umbrella-toting high-steppers. OK, not bad. Then, a bunch of men, young and old marched down the streets trading beads for kisses from the ladies watching roadside. Um, I guess that's OK. Then some more bands. Snooze. I was starting to lose interest.
But then came the fun.
Float after float after float after float of bead-tossing, toy-throwing, candy-handing, potato-chucking madness. Pandemonium was the best way to describe. And what did my favorite picture show? A lawn chair full of bowling-ball sized (and weighted) heads of cabbage that we managed to catch, flung from the floats. My thumbs were sprained for weeks! They must have thrown hundreds upon hundreds of the things. (Note: never, ever park you car along the parade route in New Orleans.)
When all was said and done, it was pure carnage on the streets. Candy, beads, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, toys, beer cans, and the passed out all littered the ground. And then the true veneration of St. Patrick began inside the bars. I'm telling you, there's truly nothing else like it.
So, Chicago was fun. But I have yet to witness anything close to topping the Big Easy.
I had hoped to post one of my favorite pictures from my St. Paddy's weekend in NO, circa 2001, but I am still not really moved in anywhere, and I don't have access to a scanner. The parade in NO was outstanding. There really are not too many parades you could say that about without sounding particularly lame. But on the bayou, everything is cool.
Here is a quick recap of St. Patrick's Day in New Orleans: First, understand that it is like a mini-Mardi Gras. My hopes were high, to say the least. Upon coming to town, we stopped at a gas station where smack in the middle of the mini-mart was a cooler full of icy tall boys. Remember, this was at a gas station. We filled our own cooler, and bought one for the road. (We were walking, don't get too excited.) Proudly walking down the street non-chalantly drinking a cold one was quite liberating and empowering. What a town!
We set up shop on a sidewalk along the parade route. Yes, we would be watching the parade. The sidewalks filled with green-clad, beer-toting guys and gals, and the anticipation was palpable.
Finally, game time. First, the typical New Orleans band with the brass horns and umbrella-toting high-steppers. OK, not bad. Then, a bunch of men, young and old marched down the streets trading beads for kisses from the ladies watching roadside. Um, I guess that's OK. Then some more bands. Snooze. I was starting to lose interest.
But then came the fun.
Float after float after float after float of bead-tossing, toy-throwing, candy-handing, potato-chucking madness. Pandemonium was the best way to describe. And what did my favorite picture show? A lawn chair full of bowling-ball sized (and weighted) heads of cabbage that we managed to catch, flung from the floats. My thumbs were sprained for weeks! They must have thrown hundreds upon hundreds of the things. (Note: never, ever park you car along the parade route in New Orleans.)
When all was said and done, it was pure carnage on the streets. Candy, beads, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, toys, beer cans, and the passed out all littered the ground. And then the true veneration of St. Patrick began inside the bars. I'm telling you, there's truly nothing else like it.
So, Chicago was fun. But I have yet to witness anything close to topping the Big Easy.
posted by Mike C | 7:58 PM
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