It’s been a long week, most of it spent down in New Orleans at the Nadcap meeting; but I can officially report that all is present and accounted for.  Including:

• My Wallet
• My Phone
• My Credit Cards
• My dignity

Heck, I nearly came home with all the same brain cells I left with.

It’s no secret that this is a bit of a change in trends from previous trips to New Orleans.  Nearly all those items have been lost on previous trips to the French Quarter; some more than once.  It is the city of bad decision making of course, and if you have visited you are sure to know what I am talking about.

What’s more surprising is that I was able to pull of this miracle during Mardi Gras week.  Sure, Mardi Gras ratchets up this weekend and hits insanity levels on Fat Tuesday next week, but the infamous parades started last weekend and were going on while I was in town.  Monday did feel slow on Bourbon Street, and Tuesday still seemed to be a bit of a lull, but with two parades including the traditionally womens’ parade (Krewe of Nyx) on Wednesday night there was some crazy to go around.

To be honest, I could have blogged about that parade experience, but it would probably way too thick with cynical.  I think I have proclaimed before my hatred for parades; and this maybe holds along with the same case.  There were two parades on Wednesday night, both following the same route one after the other and finishing right by our hotel.  We were told the first parade was to start at 6, and should last an hour.  Knowing we were at the end of the route, we were patient until about 7:30.  By 8:00 with the crowds on full along the route, I was getting antsy.  Somewhere around that time, someone found out the first parade hadn’t even started and they had 2-1/2 miles to go to get to us.  So a couple of us ducked out and headed for music, dinner, and drinks.  Wandering back towards our hotel just before midnight, we turned the corner and .. The parades were still going!    (not to make it sound like it went on forever, the first probably came through around 10PM)

It felt like a fish pool, and we were the fish.  Floats that were just makeshift busses were packed of Krewe members as they threw stuff at us.  Since we caught the Nyx parade, most of it was related to purses or female trinkets.  There were glow sticks, cups, and boas coming in.  I scored a tiny umbrella that I hope to make legendary next week at work.  But of course, the majority of beads … like loads of them.  At the end of the route, they were just throwing full bags at us.  I mean, it’s not like that you couldn’t get the other stuff, there were loads of that too. but the beads were just gushing.

And I don’t get beads.  I mean … There is the naughty reason we talk about Mardi Gras beads, but otherwise … why?  And why do we need to have so many?  And why does everyone jump over each other to get it?

Okay, maybe this post has turned into a cynical parade post, but … enough with the beads okay?

Otherwise, I checked the box on the usuals for me and New Orleans:
– Oysters at Acme
– Bourbon at Preservation Hall (which, the four last times I’ve gone there, the same band was play (“Loose Change”) and they finish a set shortly after I arrive)
– Slushy cup of something that cost way too much

I did slip in a few things that is standard for many other folk:
– Cafe du Monde … I think it was 1989 the last time I was there
– Frenchman Steet  … which is definately on the checklist from now on (Think – if NOLA was in Portland)
– Went to bed at a reasonable hour

Oh … and I also worked.

In short, a good week in New Orleans – and a rare treat to come home with everything present and accounted for.