Tuesday, February 21, 2012

La Danse de Mardi Gras

Oh, the pain! The pain of waking up on Mardi Gras in a city where today is simply another Tuesday. Agapito had to go to work, and Lucero was off to take some horrid standardized test, and while taking Rosie to school I felt particularly peeved by all the healthy cyclists riding around. Today everything is supposed to be upside-down! The smooth-running infrastructure of Austin was an affront to me today. I called Agapito at a stop light to share my distress, and we agreed that this would be our last Mardi Gras spent outside of New Orleans (barring a trip to Brazil or some other exotic locale that celebrates Carnival). And the Facebook updates with my friends and family in their regalia marching with krewes? Like daggers in my heart.  Nunca jamas, as my husband just kindly translated for me.

Here is a great article about Mardi Gras for the uninitiated- Five Myths about Mardi Gras. And below is my favorite Mardi Gras and Cajun song, "La Danse de Mardi Gras." The tune is medieval, of Old Breton origins. It has a haunting quality. Here's a great write-up on the song.


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