Sarawak Malaysia to New Orleans: It's carnival time in New Orleans!

Mardi Gras is here! It's february in New Orleans, the temperature is in the mild 40-50s fahrenheits but carnival and party atmosphere is heating up. This is after all the Mardi Gras capital and the New Orleans football team The Saints has made it to the Superbowl for the first time in history. On average, there are about six parades every day of the weekends in February leading up to Mardi Gras. There are parades in downtown, uptown and Metairie (near our house).

I took Meredith and Isaac to the Excalibur parade in Metairie this last Friday night. The parade is very family friendly and the crowd is just the right size, we don't have to jostle for space and Meredith can walk right up to the parades when people on the float wanted to throw her a toys. This is a far cry from the very raunchy Mardi Gras celebration in downtown New orleans where someone will be embarassed to bring along their mother.

Meredith and Isaac was initially unfamiliar with what to do at the parade. Meredith warmed up to the parade pretty quickly, she was jumping up and down with her hands raised screaming "give me beads!" as the parade roll through. I hold Isaac in my arm and isaac is a magnet for soft toys. People on the floats started throwing him soft toys like octopus, ducks and heart shape pillow. Meredith started to learn making eye contact with people on the float and pretty soon she is hauling in her share of toys. Meredith said Mardi Gras is just like Halloween, instead of free candies, she is getting free beads and free toys thrown at her.