Rainy weather greeted us for our first parade. Few people on the route meant that we were buried in beads – so many that we stopped trying to catch them and stayed far back on the parade routes for the rest of the weekend. On the last day of the celebrations we gave our bags of beads to a group of kids who were planning on taking them to Krispi Kreme where they could trade twelve pounds of beads for a dozen donuts. The beads are then sent to groups that sort and package then for resale – a great way to keep them out of the landfill.
Wet! Must eat at least one moon pie!
By Fat Tuesday the weather had cleared and the crowds were huge.
I blogged about Mardi Gras in 2011 and since this information is still accurate I won’t repeat it. We still don’t know who owns the lot where we park but this year we decided to stay overnight. The lot is on a street that gets little traffic and is bordered by the cemetery and businesses, and is adjacent to the Big Zion Church. Most of the congregation parks on the street so the lot doesn’t get used even on Sunday. Fat Tuesday was a different story however! Groups of families and friends set up barbeque grills and shade canopies early in the morning and settled in to enjoy the day. After the last parade everything was packed up and we were alone again.
I’m not sure about the rules for RV parking in the city but we saw a few lots taped off and filled with RVs. We also saw some RVs parked along the side streets. Pay close attention to the signs to avoid getting towed and fined. There’s a large area under the I-10 overpass that Mobile has dubbed RV City. It’s just a parking lot with as many RVs as possible crammed in. Spaces are about $400.00 for 20 days of dry camping during Mardi Gras season. We strolled through and decided that it was really awful but it sells out every year. In fact most spots are grandfathered in.
Last parade and the final clean up begins.
Mardi Gras 30.68572, -88.05135
Last year we went to a Mardi Gras parade in Pensacola, it was my first & it was great!
ReplyDeleteSounds like Mobile was a lot of fun!
I've heard that Pensacola's parade is really good. We'll have to catch it sometime. Still working up to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I'm not sure if we could handle the commotion. :-D
DeleteWow, that was a lot of beads around your neck! Good to see how they recycle them.
ReplyDeleteThere was a plastic grocery bag filled to the top at my feet - a lot of beads! We also have two pillowcases of stuffed animals that we're saving for a young friend. They got a bit wet and some hit the ground so we're going to stick them in a front loader washing machine and see if they survive the bath.
DeleteDid you know that Mardi Gras orignally started in Mobile? Fact. Because we lived across Mobile Bay for a number of years, we're familiar with the area and that dreadful place beneath the freeway that fills with campers. Yuk! You can get a real neckache from carrying tons o' beads around your neck! I still have a big ol' pile of "nice" beads that I drag out every year for Mardi Gras. Today was Nevada City's parade (late), but the weather was dreadful, so we opted out.
ReplyDeleteMobile has such a long history and we've never stuck around long enough to go to the museum - gotta do that next visit!
DeleteWho would have thought that Nevada City would have a Mardi Gras parade? Sorry that you missed it because of the weather. :-(
Very cool. Sometime could I meet up with you in the south and benefit from your encyclopedic experience?
ReplyDeleteOf course! Keep track of where we are and let us know if you want to meet up somewhere.
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