Welcome to another edition of Photo Friday! This week I’m taking you to Mobile for Mardi Gras. We were there last week, and I took you on a photo walk through one of the historical areas of downtown Mobile. This week, I actually have photos from a parade that we attended.
Not many people know this, but the American celebration of Mardi Gras started in Mobile – not New Orleans. In all the years I’ve been here in the South, I’ve never been to a parade in Mobile. My girlfriends and I decided that it was time for us to remedy that situation, so Sweet Husband acted as our guide and chaperone.
Mobile is a beautiful city – or at least where we were was beautiful. I’m sure that like any other city, she has her issues. I’m not sure what we expected from Mobile parades – perhaps New Orleans Mardi Gras-style parades. That wasn’t really what we got. Which is OK; we’ve been to small parades where the floats are essentially just trailers with people riding on the back of them and really had a great time. The Mobile parades were an interesting mix of the two styles. Perhaps it was where we were standing, but we really didn’t get too much in the way of throws, which is really why you go to a Mardi Gras parade – to get the throws.
Notice – no throws. It makes you cranky when you wait in the cold and the folks on the floats are not throwing (part of why we really don’t like Endymion in New Orleans, but that is another story all together). The parades that we attended in Mobile were a really odd mix of New Orleans-style and decorate-your-trailer-and-come-on, with the New Orleans-style at the beginning of the parade (maybe the first 10 minutes or so) followed by 20-30 minutes of wondering what in the heck you were watching.
There was a representation of the Native American tribe for which Mobile is named (not Mardi Gras Indians…if you’ve watched Treme, Mardi Gras Indians are a big thing), and of course, a King and Queen.
From that point on, it was floats and bands and oddities. We love a bit of oddity, so it was all good.
What do you want to bet that that water bottle hanging from the old dude’s neck is filled with booze that he’s been sipping on all day long? I think that’s probably a good bet.
That was about the last float where the riders were actually throwing beads. After that the floats were really about blaring music and watching the riders dance.
She was totally breaking it down and having an awesome time, while her friend below was just chillin’.
Notice that he has beads…but he wasn’t throwing them. I think we came home with no more than 50 strings of beads among the four of us…which is kind of ridiculous for two different parades.
We had a great time in Mobile, particularly due to our company. I think if our expectations had been different, we wouldn’t have been disappointed in the parades we attended. We decided that we will be more than happy to head to New Orleans from here on out…which we will be doing this weekend so I can’t wait to bring you those photos!
Happy Mardi Gras y’all! I hope you’ve had a good week and are planning for a great weekend!
Photo Friday Link-Up
Welcome to the One Year Anniversary of the Photo Friday link-up! I can’t believe that you all have been supporting this wonderful community for the last year, and I can’t believe our growth. Thank y’all for growing with me. To celebrate the one year anniversary of the link-up, I have a give-away for you to say thanks. This place wouldn’t be with it is without you.
For the Photo Friday Anniversary Link-Up Give-Away, I have a custom camera strap for you and a 64GB Memory Card. (These are not affiliate links. I am not being compensated for sharing these in any way. I just got them for ya because I liked them) The give-away is open world-wide, so please enter!
(so sorry – it starts at 12:00 a.m. on Friday February 5th)
For last week’s link-up, we had a tie for our most viewed link! (& last week, we had the most clicks ever!) Y’all really enjoyed Mersad‘s post about the Top 10 Things to Do in Vienna and Ruth‘s post about her Sunday drive.
Mersad Donko Photography – Top 10 Things to Do in Vienna
Ruth Daly Author – A Lazy Sunday Afternoon Drive
Our last added link came from Cath@Home. If you missed her post – or any of the others that came towards the end of the link-up – consider swinging by and taking a gander. There is always some gorgeous photography at the tail end of the link-up.
As always, thank you so much for your support – for sharing posts, for commenting, for encouraging each other. I can’t wait to see what you have for us this week!
Loading InLinkz ...
Fun!! (And, I didn’t know that about Mobile.) I just picked my boys up a King Cake today. Laissez les bon temps rouler! 😉
Dina recently posted…Fire & Ice
I actually have a pretty good King cake recipe. This is the first time in quite a few years that I haven’t made one. Our cooking class here on campus was selling them so I just handed over my $10…much easier! (Our cooking class is for our developmentally delayed students; I love supporting them because they work so hard & do such a great job!)
Wow! This looks like so much fun. You got some fantastic shots, and I love the variety of expressions you caught on people’s faces!
Ruth recently posted…Wildlife in winter.
We had a blast Ruth! One of the things I love about Mardi Gras is the opportunity it gives me to take pictures. There is so much to capture that it gets to be overwhelming.
I’ve been so behind lately I was going to skip the party again this week in a bid to catch up but when I saw it was the One Year Anniversary of Photo Friday I just had to come by and join in the fun.
Stella Lee@ Purfylle recently posted…Maker Love – DIY Heat Gauge Valentines Day Gift Basket
See, I’m rushing – totally forgot to say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!
Stella Lee@ Purfylle recently posted…Australian Darter
I know what you mean about being behind! (Thus responding to comments a week and a half later) Thanks for making the time to join us!
That looks like so much fun! It’s great to see shots from the real deal and not from just a party somewhere else where no one has actually been to a real Mardi Gras.
Btw, I’d be shocked if the the old guy didn’t have a drop of alcohol in his bottle…lol! His outfit is definitely the best one. 😀
Becky recently posted…Himeji – Japan’s Most Beautiful Castle
This was our first time in Mobile – don’t know if we will go back to parades there but it was fun to be a part of it for awhile & I’m glad we went. I experienced my first Mardi Gras in 2004 & except for the years when I was in Louisville, I haven’t missed one since. Lots and lots of great traditions!
Happy Anniversary!! I loved seeing these pics. Easter is so early this year, hence Mardi Gras I guess. There’s talk around the world to make Easter at the same time of year. Good luck with that LOL…Cheers, from Summer at The Beach in Australia! Denyse
Denyse Whelan Blogs recently posted…Look It’s Summer! 366/36.
Yeah I don’t know if standardizing Easter is something that is ever going to fly. Too many years of long-standing tradition lol!
Hi Jen, interesting post….looks very tame compared to the Sydney Mardi Gras, or at least what I have seen of that. I didn’t quite understand about the throwing but got it eventually….will be interesting to see the New Orleans Mardi Gras.
Cath recently posted…Fun Friday Favourites (14)
ps…thanks for linking up with me for Fun Friday Favourites.
Cath recently posted…Fun Friday Favourites (14)
What a fun parade. Not only didn’t I know where Mardi Gras started in the US, I didn’t even know it was celebrated anywhere outside of New Orleans.
Rhonda Albom recently posted…Mysterious Light Beam Over Rangitoto Island, New Zealand
So happy people enjoyed my last weeks post on Top 10 Things to do in Vienna. And I loved Ruth’s post too. Glad to share the tie with her.
Mersad recently posted…Sky’s the Limit: My Favorite Cloud and Sky Images
Mobile does look like a pretty and city and for the parade well does umm look colourful to say the least 🙂
Sally@Toddlers on Tour recently posted…Step Back in Time on the Titanic.
Happy anniversary, Jen! To the next and even more successful year.
I think your parade photos look great, but you are probably right – it is all in your expectation on how you perceive an event. I cannot wait to hear, read and see what you bring back from Mardi Gras in New Orleans. One day I really want to be there, too.
Great idea about the giveaway 🙂
Claudia | ImagesByCW recently posted…Time for a to die for NYC sunset
That first photo made me laugh. And isn’t Mardi Gras just fabulous?
Heidi’s Wanderings recently posted…The Day Trees Grew Scraves
Although not what you expected entirely, it sounds like you made the best of a situation from the parades. And who doesn’t love a bit of oddity?! Your photos are full of colour!!
Looks like a fun time! Once again great photos!
Cat Palmer recently posted…52 Weeks of Photographs
I’ve never been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans or Mobile. But I had a fun photo safari in New Orleans once. Fun town.
Sharon Wagner recently posted…Casa Quiet
Great people shots! I’m really bad at capturing people, mainly because I don’t want to seem to forward or make people mad, but I suppose when you’ve got a crowd it’s different. Looks like a really fun time – it also looks kind of cold…
Tara recently posted…Exploring Suffield, Connecticut
Congrats! Nice carnival photos! There’s a big carnival parade in my town this weekend too!:)
Tanja (the Red phone box travels) recently posted…A guide to Menton, France
Happy anniversary! Love the bold colors of mardi gras!
June recently posted…Inspired by . . . January: a look back
Great photos. Mardi Gras is not that big here on the West Coast. I have always wanted to go to New Orleans and attend the parade there. It is one of my unfilled dreams. Lucky person you are.
Patrick Weseman recently posted…Welcome to Super Bowl City
How fun! I’ve been to New Orleans a few times….Sugar Bowl, and general visits but NEVER at Mardi Gras. Def on my “to do” list tho 🙂
Baby Bro lived in New Orleans until a week after Katrina. Mardi Gras is kind of a big thing for our family. Some day I would like to see the parades in both NOLA and Mobile. But what’s up with the stinginess with the beads. Humph!
Beautiful, colourful photos here Jen, stunning! I’d love to go to a Mardi Gras festival at some point – it looks like so much fun! – Tasha
Natasha recently posted…Leafy Greens
So interesting to see the street barricades keeping people from going into the parade. We do a 4th of July parade and use human volunteers to keep the streets open for the parade to pass by. I used to volunteer for that duty until parade watchers got so verbally abusive about their ‘right’ to be in the street that I gave up the volunteerism before I gave up on the human race.
Jackie Smith recently posted…Oh Man! It’s Oman!
What a special experience it must have been to witness the Mardi Gras parade … Great captures from the festival! I enjoy looking at the expressions on peoples faces!
Thank you for this great Friday linky party – Enjoy the weekend ahead!
Nina
I love a good parade! You got some good shots!
lana recently posted…Valentine’s Day treat box
What fun photos! I love how colorful everything is.
P.S. I had to add my link twice. I’ve been having major issues with my hosting and website the last couple of weeks. Hopefully I have it all figured out now. My 2nd link on the link-up is the correct one. Sorry for the confusion!
Stephanie recently posted…The Monochrome Series v.1
Happy Anniversary to Photo Friday! 🙂 Congratulations Jen!
Fantastic shots as usual. I haven’t been to any such carnival yet. What fun!
Aditi recently posted…Living with Gratitude
Fascinating to learn Mobile is where Mardi Gras celebrations started in America! Loved seeing your photos of the parade and all of the bright Mardi Gras colors.
Brooke of Passport Couture recently posted…January 2016 Booklist
Looks like a fun parade, despite the lack of beads. We have a “Mardi Gras tree” at our local ski resort. 🙂
Linda W recently posted…Perfect Powder on Mt. Hood
This looks cool, quirky and fun Jen. Great captures and I can’t wait for the next Mardi Gras installment! Xx
shannon @my2morrows recently posted…The Ultimate Rabbit Hole #53
We were supposed to go to Mobile last spring but didn’t make it. It is on my list though!
I look forward to seeing pictures of New Orleans, it is a place I have always wanted to visit
Mollyxxx
Molly recently posted…Day 37 – Reading
Congrats on one year of photo sharing! Always nice to see what you have each week…and Mardi Gras in New Orleans is something I’d love to do!
Oh, this looks like so much fun !!
Great photos !!
Greetings
Ela recently posted…Czyże
Well I learned a lot from reading this post and had a few laughs along the way. Parades don’t excite me like they used to for reasons you mentioned. I haven’t been to one in years. I had one of my students link up this week. #51 in the link up. She is pretty talented and I had her start a blog. I need to get her used to creating titles for her pics. She was excited about linking up.
Lowanda J recently posted…Sip This: Club W
Jen, I have never been to a parade like this, so, I am not sure how you determine what is a good parade and what is a so-so parade. You mentioned the throws. How many are you expecting to get in a parade? Have fun in the New Orleans’ parades. Congratulation on the one year anniversary of the link part. Time surely flies.
Ruth – Tanama Tales recently posted…Laja: First Taste of Baja Med Cuisine
What a great surprise to see Mardi Gras here in Action! ? Yesterday my husband and I saw a report on TV about Mardi Gras. Look here if you like:
http://www.arte.tv/guide/de/053330-004-A/alles-karneval#details-videos
Great captures and funny scenes.
Wish you a great time.
// Heidrun recently posted…Zitat im Bild…
These are some lovely pictures – the colors are so beautiful and vibrant! Thank you for sharing this visual tour with us. It looks like they were having a great time! Have a great week!
How fun! I’ve never been to a Mardi Gras parade and didn’t know that it originated in Mobile. Enjoyed your photos and story.
Sarah @ 2paws Designs recently posted…Duck Donuts