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We have had a taste of Louisiana's hospitality here in New Orleans that leaves you feeling warm and welcome. People are funny and friendly and we have laughed a lot. The locals are happy to welcome visitors, even their rivals, the Clemson Tigers at North Carolinas University. The College football championship is here tonight and Louisiana State University is playing against Clemson. As they are both Tigers, the way I identify them is by their colours. Purple for both, but yellow for LSU and Orange for Clemson. People are wearing all kinds of crazy things to show their team spirit and egging one another on in a jovial way. Clemson fans arrived sporting all kinds of gear but what cracks me up is their two dollar bills are stamped with an orange tiger paw. So the legal tender is in full circulation with the Clemson logo on it. And the locals can't help but laugh in spite of it all!
We have been to the festivities which included a plaza with all sorts of sponsors and freebies. The highlight was a free concert by local musician Trombone shorty in a park by the Mississippi River beside a local steamboat paddle wheeler. People danced the night away in their purple and yellow and we enjoyed the sight of a Mardi Gras Indian dressed in his incredible suit, handmade and beaded with feathers and head dress. An incredible sight!
One museum we visited gave us insight into the Mardi Gras Indians and the cultural phenomenon. There are 25 non indigenous tribes here in New Orleans and they work on their hand beaded suits daily all year long to present the Chief in full dress at Mardi Gras. If you are a part of the tradition you will get roped into helping make the suit for your chief...and the expectation is that you'll be there after work tomorrow and everyday in your spare time to help. But oh what a reward if your Chiefs suit is the winner! And once it's all over they retire the suit and give you a feather from it as a thank you for all the hours you put in. Hundreds of hours....and a feather is worth it all!
We have had lots of different weather since arriving here and the locals say "welcome to the Big Easy". Hot, cold, raining, windy, foggy, flooding, lightning, thunder, and some days I just have no idea what to wear. But I hear at home they are in a snow covered cold snap so I can't complain!
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