M is for

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Welcome to “ABC of Your State” ~ This challenge is based on friends and bloggers asking about Louisiana, as well as my interest in travel and learning about other places. Please feel welcome to join in.

M is for

~Mighty Mississippi. While you're in the French Quarter, head over to the Riverwalk, where you'll find tickets to go on a boat ride - The Paddle Wheel Tour. I did this with my good friend, Kristen, not long ago. It's very relaxing.

~Mardi Gras. It's not just for New Orleans, it's in the neighboring cities as well, on the Westbank, Metairie, Chalmette, North Shore. The city shuts down for a day (and night) of partying! If you want wild - go to New Orleans. If you want family oriented, go to the neighboring cities. Either way, you'll have fun. Yell, "Throw me something, Mister" and catch beads, plastic cups, frisbees, stuffed animals, blinking necklaces. You'll come back with all sorts of stuff that you don't need and had a blast catching!

But what if you aren't in town for Mardi Gras? Visit Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World. They make about 80 % of the floats there, with many on display. Sometimes there's even an artists on staff creating the floats or costumes while you visit. You can also try on Mardi Gras costumes AND sample King Cake.

King Cake was served at the ball, back in 1870; they used a "bean in the cake" to choose the "queen of the ball." These days, you don't have to be invited to a ball to enjoy the King Cake. (Though I did attend one ball and if you get invite, do go - it's an experience.) Instead of a bean, there's a plastic baby inside the cake. Tradition is: whoever gets the baby has to buy the next king cake.

If you'd like to see some movies and slide shows that I created from this past Mardi Gras, click here and here.