I've never been to a New Orleans Mardi Gras, but I've always thought it would be fascinating, if a bit overwhelming. I'm not much of a partier. I get my fill of crowds pretty quickly, yet the quirkiness, the color, the creativity and the jazz and spicy foods are all very appealing. So when the photography group I just joined decided to take pictures of Manitou's Carnivale Parade, I showed up early to catch the end of the Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo cook-off.

One of my best friends, when I lived in Virginia Beach, was Cajun, and she introduced me to several excellent authentic Cajun restaurants nearby. Nowhere I've lived since have I been able to find such marvelous food. The jambalaya at Marigold Cafe is pretty close, but the most authentic gumbo I've had in Colorado was Red Lobster's. Sad, isn't it.

Riding the shuttle, I met Sandra who grew up in New Orleans. We hit the cook-off just after they had stopped selling tickets, but a generous young man gave us the handful of tickets he had left. We listened for the winners and tried to make sure we got a taste of those at least, plus a few more. I have to say most were fairly bland, some didn't even include okra in the mix, ("gumbo" is an Indian word for "okra"), and several left us thinking "have these people even tasted gumbo before?"

I do give them lots of credit for getting there early on a cold snowy morning and freezing their faces off several hours cooking in a glorified picnic pavilion. That takes determination. And according to one of the judges I happened to run into, the cold actually causes the spices to lose some heat. Who knew? Anyway, Sandra and I agreed the most authentic gumbo was made by second place winner Front Range Barbeque. Unfortunately gumbo isn't on their menu year round.

I never found other members of the photography group, but had a marvelous time nevertheless! I came with the mindset of a spectator, to people watch and take some fun pictures, yet I found myself wanting to be a part of the spectacle. So I made a stop at the Commonwheel Artists Co-op to try on some of the beautiful feathered masks I admire every time I'm there, created by Julia Wright.

I bought a vibrant blue and green one with wild peacock feathers, a beautiful piece of art which can decorate a wall until I wear it again! Later, I had the pleasant surprise of running into Julia in the crowd, who introduced herself to me.

The Parade was great fun! Manitou's Carnivale turned out to be the perfect Mardi Gras for me: colorful, quirky, whimsical and creative, without New Orleans' baudiness and stressful claustrophobic mob. Of course, to get the full culinary and musical experience, you have to go to New Orleans. But if you can't, don't miss Mardi Gras in Manitou!