I have always wanted to go to New Orleans. I have this overly romantic mental image of what NOLA is like, mainly because I've read a ton of Anne Rice novels! And Mardi Gras!? Ahhh Mardi Gras! The debauchery! While, I have outgrown the "crazy party" days, I have always wanted to experience Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras
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The celebrations actually begin on January 6th, which is know as the Epiphany or Twelfth Night, and it wraps up today with Fat Tuesday.  Being the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent in the Catholic community, Fat Tuesday is a day known from the custom of indulging in sweets and meats before those things are given up for the 40 days of Lent.

Even the traditional Mardi Gras colors for masks, costumes, beads, etc... have special meaning. Purple represents Justice. Green represents Faith, and Gold represents Power. These colors are seen everywhere in New Orleans, and across the country during Mardi Gras. The colors even show up on the traditional King Cakes. A plastic baby is baked inside the cake, and whoever finds it in their piece of cake has to buy the next year's King Cake or host the next year's celebration, according to tradition.

Mardi Gras Mask
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If you're like me, and you've never been, but you've always been fascinated with the whole spectacle that is Mardi Gras, you can actually watch a LIVE FEED from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. With TONIGHT being the BIG night, I bet there will be some crazyness caught on this camera!

To quote my good friend Greg, laissez le bon temps rouler! That's French/Creole for "Let The Good Times Roll" Check out the Live Feed by clicking the photo that I snagged earlier today from EarthCam.com

Mardi Gras Bourbon Street
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