With my hunger for Southern cuisine satisfied, I proceeded to Canal Street to watch my first parade. The Knights of Babylon held court with the theme "Out From Under," which paid homage to the city's post-Katrina resilience. I waved to the riders and tried to catch any trinkets they threw in my direction; I was rewarded with plenty of beads and doubloons. Because they wrapped up their parade so late, I didn't realize that Chaos and Muses were behind them, so I wandered back over to Bourbon Street without seeing their parades.
Revelers who decided not to wait until Fat Tuesday to engage in debauchery lined the block, and I found myself more amused than disgusted by their antics -- especially when a few men tried to persuade me to go topless. (Contrary to popular belief, a woman does not have to flash her breasts to get beads.) People from all walks of life took part in the madness; body parts were on display along with public drunkenness. The surreal atmosphere was so intoxicating until I wondered how I managed to keep my clothes on.
