Tis almost the season, Mardi Gras season in New Orleans of course, and Geogad is all prepared to help you enjoy your time in the Big Easy with its Mobile Tour of New Orleans French Quarter.  It will help you get a small perspective of New Orleans’ 300-year history. 

While Geogad’s tour of the French Quarter is great, it only scratches the surface.  Geogad could easily create 3 more tours of the French Quarter area with completely unique material.  One thing that is not explained in great detail is Mardi Gras.  A great explanation of Mardi Gras and its traditions can be found at the Louisiana Mardi Gras Museum at the Presbytere, which is covered in Geogad Mobile Tour of New Orleans French Quarter and can be downloaded for free from the Geogad web site.  If you are unable to visit the museum, then you will enjoy a short history on the founding of Mardi Gras.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, the official colors of Mardi Gras were selected in 1872 by the Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff.  Now you must understand the Mardi Gras had been celebrated in this heavily Catholic city for years before.  But the visit of the Grand Duke really brought the elite of the city out to make that year’s celebration the best yet.  While the Grand Duke probably enjoyed Mardi Gras, legend has it that he was really only visiting New Orleans because his mistress, Lydia Thompson, who was a popular singer performing in a local show. 

The royalty of Mardi Gras have all the best aspects of real royalty and yet include some democracy.  The parades have their kings, queens and dukes that get to dress in expensive costumes and are cheered by crowds of people like real royalty.  But the royals are only royal for a few days a year, and there is no guarantee that you will be a royal this year even if you were a royal last year.  The royalty are selected by the members of the parade committees called krewes.  With this system, you get the pomp and circumstance of royalty without all the headaches. 

Maybe the British should consider switching to a system where you can be Queen or Prince for a year if you get enough votes.  They could make it like American Idol and let people text message their votes.  I would think that the real British royal family might like to get some time off to live like regular people for a while.

Technorati tags: Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Geogad Tours, Presbytere, royalty, krewes