There have been a few times in my life where I have been in the presence of pure joy. One was last night on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. After the Super Bowl ended, people poured out from bars and restaurants and into the streets… hugging, high-fiving, and screaming “Who Dat!” There were no strangers in the French Quarter last night. By a half hour after the game, people were packed in next to each other on Bourbon moving almost like they were one solid mass. There’s no official count, but one business owner we talked to said it was at least the crowd they had at New Year’s— and that was half a million. I heard over and over again from people who have lived in New Orleans all their lives, “I’ve never seen anything like this…”
This morning the party wasn’t over, but on hold. The streets of the Quarter were littered thick with last night’s trash. Within an hour or two, they were wiped clean by street crews, ready for the next round. Tonight the party continues. Bourbon Street is rocking with another night of revelry. The Saints came home to a hero’s welcome this afternoon. Tomorrow evening, they’ll take part in a parade. Expect more partying. In fact, they might as well just roll on through to Mardi Gras next Tuesday.