It was Mardi Gras morning and a beautiful day as I, with a few friends in full costume, prepared to cross Basin Street between Iberville and St. Louis streets on our way into the French Quarter to meet up with a marching krewe. Zulu was just beginning to proceed down Basin Street, but we’ve always been able to easily and safely pass through this parade between bands and floats.
However, this year, extensive barricades had been erected along both sides of the riverside lanes of Basin Street where Zulu was passing. These barricades extended at least as far as Claiborne Avenue (We walked there). People with chairs and ladders formed another layer of blockage along the barricades. We were unable to cross and met many others who voiced the same frustration. We gave up and retired for lunch…