Day 1 in NOLA: Pre-Mardi Gras Saturday

Date: 22. 2. 2014

After surviving our first shock considering our living quarters we headed to see the last parade of the night - the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, which most certainly was the best one for us. We're punch of nerds, so it was really The One for us.

Before it we joined the block party, to see all kinds of people and costumes. I really loved there, but halen was once again hungry, and angry. Fortunately we found a near by market-mardi gras-pizzeria -blend which served some really awesome pizzas.

This sign amused me a lot - it was hanged on the wall of a bar, next to the crowded crossroads where the party was happening :D

There were lots of kids selling jello shots, beer and drinks on the street.

Just missed these guys kissing :(

Check out that tail!

There was also a bar in the middle of the street. The drinks were free, you just left some tips for the "bartenders". Had a quick chat with one of them - fun guy :)

Playing games

There were few of these odd balls of bicycles. Just getting on one requires friends. So I couldn't ever get one :(.

Halen is getting his pizza

Dude with a fez. Under some cute lights.

The decorations in the store was pretty nice and cute, and reaaaallly different than what we're used to.

Angry halen seem to be changing to happier halen.

There was a really good selection of foods. And not all junk food like in many other places

 Upstairs they had a store full of Mardi Gras related stuff. From the beads to masks and such.

The store from upstairs. Fresh food was under that other level.

There was lots and lots of stuff to get used to as a stiff old Finn. The lay-back attitude, people who like to start conversations and talk with strangers with no apparent reason, saying hello to passers by, it's always a shock to visit the states, and in NOLA it kinda was highlighted. They threw me off my game calling me "honeybun" at the register, and starting talking about random stuff. But it really fits this city, and this neighborhood. You just cannot be tense and anal in this kind of surroundings and this kind of people. That's the best thing for me right now, after being pretty stressed out for over a year(s).

But yeah, after getting our tummies full of (once again unhealthy :D) food, we joined the party in the streets once again, waiting for the parade to arrive. More of that later.

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I'm a bit late with the blog updates, the visits in these cities has been way too short (I was skeptic and now certain that the philosophy "places are seen in few days" doesn't work) and I've been too tired to get the posts online. I'll try to get the Mardi Gras images up tomorrow - I'm really considering taking a off-day from the constant running around..