The South
After Texas we ventured into the deep South of the States. From Dallas we drove South East into Louisiana, crossed the State Line…
Before stopping in the town of Shreveport for lunch. As we have now learnt to, we opened up TripAdvisor for, well, advice and were well served – being sent to CrawDaddy’s – ranked #1. And with good reason! We tucked into crawfish and fried green tomatoes!
From there we drove on south to New Orleans where we stayed with my blogging colleague, Jackie, and her husband. We went to see one of the Mardi Gras Day parades which was a lot of fun but left me wondering. The floats are all run by local social clubs for which this is the highlight of their year – the thing towards which they build. They chuck out literally thousands of plastic cups and bead necklaces and toys, loot for everyone. But here’s the thing – it’s not for charity. Ultimately what you begin to realise is that Mardi Gras is one long exercise in self-indulgence. The people get lots of free tat and the clubs are an excuse for more drinking and feasting. I was left enjoying it, but also wondering how much more could be achieved by it.
