Carnival season is gearing up in New Orleans and it’s a joy to watch as homes transition from Christmas finery to full-on Mardi Gras decor. Gone are the red ribbons and pinecones, replaced with fleurs-de-lis and feathered masks of purple, green, and gold. From the leaded glass doorway of the grandest mansion to the humble cypress door of the tiniest shotgun, Carnival trimmings will rule until Ash Wednesday. So wander the streets of the Garden District, stroll Magazine Street and the Irish Channel, then weave your way through Uptown and savor the ambience. This is bucket list material. Trust me.
And as always, Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Terri
Fantastic images; creative and colourful.
Thanks so much! And I love that every door is different.
so fun to see all of the mardi gras decor!
Hi Liz! They really go all out in New Orleans when it comes to Mardi Gras. It’s fun to go down to the French Quarter and shop for a mask … my choice has lots of feathers!
This looks soo awesome! I really cannot wait to get down to the New Orleans area. From the looks of it I’m going to be rolling into town just in time for Mardi Gras (and other than Soulard St Louis Mardi Gras, I’ve never been to a real Mardi Gras festival). So exciting!
Thanks Sam. I see from your blog that you take off on your big trip tomorrow. I’ve done a couple of these trips myself, and know that you must be very excited. You’ll love Mardi Gras, for sure. I lived in NOLA for a couple of years and have seen MG. The town goes crazy and is absolutely packed with people. Finding a place to stay may be difficult, so you might want to plan ahead on that one.
Again, gorgeous!! I love the rich colors of Mardi Gras!
I love the colors too! Thanks for your very kind words. ~Terri
Reblogged this on msamba.
Thanks so much!
colorful … cheery … and … ready to party.
You’re right! They’re always ready for a party in New Orleans.
Gorgeous!! Love the vivid colours
Given your interests you would really love all the elaborate King Cakes, too!
New Orleans sounds amazing, it’s now on my very long travel list!
Hi Laura, New Orleans is a great place to have on your travel list – you might want to avoid it in the summer when it’s really hot. I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog – loved the Why Germans get Naked. Too funny! All the best, Terri
Thanks for the tip and also the compliment, it means a lot! I am also enjoying reading your beautiful blog. It’s so great to be in touch with people from all over the world who are as enthusiastic about travel.
Beautiful. Never seen anything like that before.
Hi Aline, Some of the doors are pretty spectacular. Even the reserved one have a beautiful, simple elegance.
How beautiful; it looks so happy. Love the colors and purple is one of my favorites. This is probably off topic, but these images helped me discard the Katrina ones that I still had on my mind. It wasn’t until I saw these beautiful and festive entrances, that I realized that the images that came to mind when New Orleans was mentioned were the ones of devastation. Thank you for sharing these, they did something I was not expecting.
Thanks so much for your kind words. As you may have read, we lived in NOLA and loved it. After Katrina, we were on the Gulf Coast and saw the sad, sad state of Biloxi. After that visit, we just didn’t have the heart to go to New Orleans. This was our first post-Katrina trip, and we were impressed with the progress and are happy to see most things back to normal. I can’t imagine living through it in the city, but am glad to hear that folks like you are finally recovering. Thanks again.
I live in Jersey, but it certainly affected the entire USA when it happened, to the point of the images lingering in people’s minds. I am very happy that it is back to normal and so beautiful and colorful.
I love the wreaths, they are beautiful. just what winter needs, all that color and a big party.
You’re right, the timing is perfect for bright colors, parties and parades. The folks in New Orleans always know how to have a good time!
Fabulous! I am now wondering if the people in La Vega in Dominican Republic have wreaths on their doors. Carneval is coming here too in February I think. I hope I have time this year to check it out somewhere on the island. And hope to hit New Orleans sometime in the future.
I would love to know how the people of La Vega decorate for Carneval If you find out, please let me know. Thanks, Terri
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