Here’s the thing. I love riding my bike, but Mardi Gras time is really more walking speed. I see things entirely differently when I’m walking–I’m closer to the ground and moving three times more slowly, so I find myself wandering places I don’t normally notice. And there’s a lot to see during the carnival season. As a guy I was chatting with as we paused at a stop sign on our bikes pointed out yesterday, Mardi Gras is all about fantasies (and the only fantasy we saw around us was the dream of finding a place to put the car–take a bike or walk and expand your fantasy life!). So yes, this is another guest post from a pedestrian. I wandered out of my house with some cash, my phone, and my kindle in search of brunch (sorely needed–I finally managed to get Baby’s First Hangover of this carnivalcation). I meant to go home after, but the sun was shining and the skies were blue and the people were friendly, so I just kept wandering downtown. I stopped in at St. Patrick’s Church because I’ve never been in there, and it was open, so why not? I didn’t have to lock up my bike or anything, so I could just pop in. After listening for a few I headed back out, this time to that other sort of cathedral, Harrah’s Casino. I availed myself of their toilet facilities and then gambled away five bucks while sipping their complimentary Irish coffee. I took the rest of it to go and walked over to Woldenberg Park to see what was happening at the Zulu Lundi Gras festival. Crowds, music, food, cheap beer, sunshine–it was fantastic. I took this picture–which is too dark to show you how perfect it was out there today–and thought to myself, it would be impossible to be in a bad mood on this day in this city. I took three dollar bills out of my pocket and got a light American beer, watched the entire crowd slowly but surely start doing the Electric Slide in unison, and then the band did a cover of Prince’s Purple Rain, and I burst into tears. I am so happy.