Mad Mardi !!!!

Another hectic itinery.
After breakfast on the riverfront, we were picked up by the shuttle bus which spirited us away to Blain Kearn's Mardi Gras World .
Mardi Gras World is the most unique attraction in America's most uniquely attractive city. It's a world of wonders, created for us by the people who bring Mardi Gras to life every year-the artists of Blaine Kern Studios.
The colors, the lights, the music, the joie de vivre. It's all here in one magical place where you can peek behind the scenes and see Mardi Gras in the making. You haven't truly experienced Carnival until you've explored Mardi Gras World.We were privy to all the floats being created for this years spectacular.
Since 1947, Blaine Kern Studios has been as much a part of Carnival as the parades New Orleans loves. In fact, they create most of those parades, from concept through to completion. We followed the process from the initial idea on paper through to the construction , mainly in papier mache, the painting and on to the finished floats , some as long as twenty to twenty five metres I reckon.
They are the world's leading makers of floats, sculpture and props and their work can be seen in the famous annual Mardi Gras parade at Universal Studios Florida, Japan's Toho Park, Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day Parade and in parades in Antibes and other international cities. Their motto?
"OUR MAGIC , YOUR MEMORIES." How true that statement was.
This is a close up of one small area of such a float.Not sure which God it represents, maybe Mercury or Hermes but the finished article was stunning.I'm afraid I could have chosen any one of a hundred pics here, from the sublime to the ridiculous, of cartoon characters to steam trains, baby buggies to these monster floats.
My forfeit for having a fun morning was a visit to the D Day museum, which hubby had seriously explored on his last business trip and which he knew Fraz would enjoy.Tripping over my bottom lip, we walked through some modern areas of town with attractive architecture to the afore mentioned museum.
Unfortunately, the Spitfire, favourite of the two men in my life, had been removed for use in a feature film and was back in the workshop being touched up.Other giants of the sky such as the Dakota were suspended high above our heads.Very impressive but not my idea of a fun filled afternoon.
However, some two or three hours later, we left the museum and I have to say, I was duly impressed.The main feature was a presentation in a theatre which reminded me of Disney.We experienced many special effects ,sounds, rumbling and shaking of our seats, the smell of smoke, even snow falling in the auditorium to represent Winter at War.The Americans certainly know how to do this sort of thing.
Another wonderful meal followed at another of Bill's favourite places - 'The Court of Two Sisters,' although we had booked to eat in the outside courtyard but due to weather conditions, ended up eating inside.
Another turn of Bourbon Street to walk off our meal, allowed Fraz to experience the traditional bead throwing from the balconies by the Krewes to passers by.He came home with his suitcase bulging with beads and trinkets. Just as well customs didn't check his case, as he might have had some explaining to do!