Here’s a Flashback Friday for ya! It’s Mardi Gras weekend in St. Louis, an event I’ve never attended during the 14 years I’ve lived here. But 6 years before I moved to the Lou (1995), I did trek down south to attend the real Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans.

The “fun” photos above were a bit of the debauchery from that trip. As I’ve described it before, it was the craziest, most drunken, most out-of-control, scariest four days of my life and I’d never go again.  And despite the many times I wish I could forget it, I can actually remember almost everything about the trip.

And yeah, that’s a 35mm selfie in the middle, taken in the hotel bathroom. Just 18 years ago, and there were no digital cameras or cell phones back then.  I actually carried around a small film camera in my pocket and snapped photos, most of which could never be developed because they contained nudity.  I have the negatives somewhere. My, how things have changed. Myself included.

Two years later, in 1997, I returned to New Orleans with a friend. We went right after Jazz Fest in September when there was nothing going on.  I enjoyed the city in a much safer and saner way on that trip. I’m so glad I got to see it before Katrina and outside of Mardi Gras.  I’d definitely go back.

Happy Mardi Gras!