Mardi Gras Parade!!! And Random Commentary!!! (Part I)

Our Westbank (also known as the "Bestbank" to some) had our Krewe of Nomtoc Mardi Gras Parade today.  The husby and I decided to hoof it over, since it was so close to our house (only about 8 blocks away - not bad really!!).  The only thing I regret is NOT bringing my cheery-green-folding chair.  The crowd was pretty mild (even for 11:00 in the morning!!) and the New Orleans Police Department (the few patrolling the corner we were on) were as cool as cucumbers.

Please note:  Most, if not all, of the Mardi Gras parades during the day are considered to be family-friendly events and really fucked-up drunks and lewd, nude behavior is NOT appropriate at all.  You will end up in the hooscow or in an NOPD paddy-wagon.  Ladies, if you want to get the beads the old-fashioned way (by flashing your bare breasts), you're going to have to go across the river and hit up a night-time parade in the French Quarter.

That being said, here are some pictures and highlights of our Krewe of Nomtoc parade today:

^^  The Shriners were some of the first through.  They had a ton of these street rods!!

^^  Had to take a picture of this...  it says "Jugs Social Club" - hehehe!!  

(*Most of my friends will get the reference, but if you'd like to know, leave me a message.)

^^  The King of the Krewe of Nomtoc.

(Every float was pulled by a red tractor.  It was very interesting.)

^^  The King's Float (side view)

^^  The Back of the King's Float - it was very well done.  :0))

~ INTERMISSION ~ 

For a bathroom break, duh!!  

^^ Bathroom Break!!  On the back of trailer, no less.  

I don't know how comfortable I'd feel using a porta-john on the trailer of a truck!!

^^  And I actually felt bed for this NOLA PD officer...  he had to follow the truck loaded with the sans-a-john and stop the parade whenever a participant needed to use the bathroom.

Pun intended:  but that was a SHIT assignment, considering it was 74* and humid today.  I hope he was being paid overtime for that!!

~ Intermission Over ~

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming (of sorts - if you could call it that)

^^  The Queen of the Krewe of Nantoc's tractor... 

^^  And her personalized Float.  She looked very proper and lovely.  :0))

^^  And a look down to street to see what's coming...  

The parade was at a bit of a pause, which is why you see the dancers sitting down.

You ca also see part of the Central Business District (CBD) and the French Quarter in the background. 

^^  And "Hello Kitty" and her entourage has arrived.

All the little girls wanted to go and hug her.  It was pretty funny.  

At least you can't tell if you're making eye contact when the other person is wearing a mask...

^^ Disney's Mickey Mouse and PBS's Zoe (correct me if I'm worong) were flying the Muppet Banner.  

Poor Big Bird (not that I'ma fan) - his head was on so crooked, I wondered how he could see.

And then, I figured he might be bombed out of his mind wearing a Camelback filled with booze UNDERNEATH the heavy-feather suit.  Good play, Big Bird Impersonator.  Good play!!

^^  Okay, Big Bird is *really lagging along**

And you can't tell by the picture, but he's weaving all over.  Hence why he has his own "space" between characters.  It also looks like The Bird is being worn like a woman in his high heels.  

CROSS DRESSER!!  :0))

^^  Elmo had his own space - and po-po services because little kids kept trying to run and hug him.

I don't give a shit what anyone says - those furry outfits have got to be HOT AS HELL even though the weather is mild.  And I do (wickedly wonder) just how clean IS that get-up???

^^  And a parade just wouldn't be a parade without SpongeBob SquarePants!!

And as it seems, Blogger will NOT let me enter any more pictures.  So, I'll be posting extras on an additional post, below this one.  

More to come, for sure!!  :0))

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