Out with the old and in with the new…well, kinda sorta…

Yesterday mary and I did grocery shopping, did odds and ends chores in the motorhome and picked up some mail at the post office. One of the things that came in the mail was our new LED lights.

The old 12 volt bulb is on the left and the new 15 LED is on the right.

Our motorhome is equipped 24, 12 volt light bulbs that have been around for years. They burn quite hot, have an expected life of 3,000 hours and are not energy efficient…meaning they draw quite a bit of power…which presents a problem to us when we are boon-docking (not connected to shore-power electricity)…which draw heavily on our coach batteries…and sometimes run low on battery power…if it’s cloudy and our solar panels cannot refurbish the electric power we used the previous evening.

Whew…that was a long-winded explanation which I’m not really sure I did a good job of explaining. Anyways, to make long story short…we’ve been reading about the relatively new energy-efficient LED…for the lack of a better term…light bulb. They provide essentially the same lighting power and use only about 15% of the power of a standard 12 volt light bulb. In other words…for the amount of energy it took to light a standard 12 volt light bulb for one hour, the LED light can be lit for 6-7 hours using the same amount of power…and therein is the major reason for the change-over.

In addition they burn cool to the touch and have a life expectancy of 100,000 hours! The one previous drawback was they provided a very “cool” frequency of light…kind of blue in color. But now they come in “warm-white” which is much closer to the frequency of standard 12 volt light bulbs.

At $16 each…they’re not inexpensive! We decided to buy four to start with…primarily to replace the lights by which we use to read. Time will tell if we decide to replace more standard 12 volt light bulbs in the future.

In other news…We have an emergency escape window in the rear wall of our motorhome which started to leak during a heavy rainstorm in Texas. I bought some new weather-stripping yesterday and installed it upon our return from shopping. It rained quite heavily for several hours last night and now we have no more leaks!

Today will be another day of odds and ends activities around the motorhome. They’ve got to get done sometime! Tomorrow we will begin getting out and about in the New Orleans area.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

CAJUN IS KING

Decisions, decisions. A wealth of music, now which affair to attend? Every morning we were in Eunice, the Savoy Music Company had a free jam of local Cajun, Blues or Zydeco musicians. Its nice to hear the musician before you decide what  to buy. They sell a wide variety of local C.D.s The sign on the door reads: NO SOUL NO SERVICE.

That evening, our choice was free Cajun music at DI’s with dinner, a dance at a local RV Park, or a two band program at the old, recently refurbished, historical Liberty Theatre. Its part of the National Park Complex along with the Acadian Center. The Cajun accordionist played his electric instrument behind his back, up over his head and regular style. Beating the hell out of an accordion takes muscle. A very talented young man whose name I couldn’t pronounce nor spell. The program was mostly in French. Young people aren’t as interested in Zydeco and Cajun as the older generation. I sat next to this young man’s wife. He is an exception at 31, with a two year old daughter, just getting into the game. None of these musicians make a living with their music, she told me. “They just love the tradition and the sound of home.”

We watched the people dance. The women don’t have to urge their husbands onto the dance floor. The men are first on their feet. They come to have fun and it was obvious they did. I fear this particular style of dance is passing the way of the older generation. Calvin Daigle taught me to dance Cajun style at Fred’s. He instructed me thus:
“The lady must keep her legs stiff and slide backward. The man takes a step backwards once in awhile just to give her some relief. Its a glide. Then the two-step is the same but you still glide.”
I got the hang of it. Luckily, Fred’s wooden floor had some type of fine dust to assist the dancers, especially people like me who wore tennis shoes. The liberty theatre floor is wonderful old plank hardwood, excellent for dancing. They did vaudeville shows in this place at one time. Beautiful place. The entrance is unique with etched glass front doors.

We said goodbye to Eunice on Sunday and drove to Westwego for a two week stay at Bayou Segnette State Park. The weather is beautiful. Got the bikes down since the paths here are bike friendly with little auto traffic. Looking forward to New Orleans, great food, Mardi Gras and a host of other activities in the days to come.

SUPER BOWL 44

My husband was a “49er Faithful” and he would have loved this game. Those who remember those long dry years couldn’t help but empathize with the Saints fans.
Jim and I met a lot of them as we traveled across Louisiana. One young bartender we met commented, “Well, I almost hope they don’t win so we can show them we love them anyway.” I’m sure she was just fearful.
In that same bar, Jim met a guy who was lamenting and celebrating at the same time. He had sold his Super Bowl tickets for $6,000. An amazing sum, and given the heated feelings, believable. I wonder if he is sorry now?
One fellow told me he didn’t have to wear a paper bag anymore. I didn’t understand the significance until later. Another woman described play-by-play, several Saints high points from past games. Then she said, “Well, if they lose, the Colts are my second favorite team.” Hedging!
We began to get pretty excited about the Saints.
Yesterday, we parked 7 miles from New Orleans and decided, just before kick-off, to go looking for a Super Bowl party. We stopped at a local sportsbar in Westwego, and the place was practically empty. “The bartender told us, we’ve got ribs on the barbeque in back, good stuff cooking, the party hasn’t started yet.”
We decided to get something to eat and saw the end of a parade and a phalanx of cops and knew we were not in a position to be out and about in a strange town. We returned home for our television set, champagne and popcorn. Wahoo!! What a game. We felt like we were part of this historical game without being in the stands or with the crowds on Bourbon Street. I guess I’m now a bonified Saints fan.

Posted by Mary Matzek at 5:25 AM

We’re in New Orleans, Louisiana!

Mary and I arrived yesterday in New Orleans, Louisiana for a two-week stay during Mardi Gras.

Mary drove the motorhome for the first time yesterday, driving about 100 miles of the about 175 mile trip and did just fine.

We are safely parked in Louisiana’s Bayou Segnette State Park indicated by the BSSP Pin on the below Google Earth photo. We’re only seven miles from downtown New Orleans and intend to thoroughly explore the area while here.

Ever since arriving in Louisiana several days ago, just about everyone we talked with were very excited about their New Orleans Saints being in the Super Bowl. Earlier we had bought a bottle of Champagne to toast a special event…so yesterday we opened it, Mary cooked a delicious meal and then we popped some popcorn as we watched the game. It’s been more than 20 years since I’ve watched a Super Bowl game since I no longer care about sports, but I must admit it was a very interesting game. We have to go out to do some shopping and pickup some mail this morning and I expect the locals will still be celebrating and shouting “Who Dat!”

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER

Laissez les bon temps rouler, a greeting you hear all over Cajun country. It means let the good times roll, and they do at Fred’s Lounge in Mamou, 10 miles out of Eunice. We arrived by 7:30 in order to get a seat when the bar opened at 8 A.M. Fred’s is only open Saturdays with live music, drinking and dancing. The two couples below were the early birds along with Jim and I. Calvin Daigle, standing closest, brought breakfast from Charlies Place around the corner, a heaping pile of boudin, (boydan) in a piece of butcher paper along with a paper bag of cracklins. The still warm sausage, slightly spicy with a soft texture more like stuffing than meat was wonderful. I believe it had rice in it. The cracklins were inch thick pieces of bacon fried crisp, unlike any cracklins I ever tasted. Calvin and his wife Nonie, (next to the wall,) are regulars at Fred’s. Sally and Mike Wenckus are from Golf, Ill.

Before the musicians had set up to play, a crew of guys out back iced down beer to keep the refrigerators inside full. A couple of guys set up a pot to make jambalaya. Some one asked what time it would be ready? “Oh, somewhere between 9 and 2, he claimed.” No charge for the jambalaya. Its part of the “experience.” We walked out back and claimed a heaping bowl full around noon. Good stuff.

Getting the meat started for the jambalaya.

Nonie & Cal started the dancing before it got crowded. The Cajun musicians were Scotty on Accordion, Jason on Violin, Ray on drums, who also sang, and Smiley on guitar. No fanfare or introductions, Nonie told me their names because she knows them all. They just play, with no breaks from 9 until 2. Sometimes longer. The music is broadcast live  from Freds and a different group plays each Saturday.

After a couple hours the crowd looked like this. Then, later, you couldn’t get back far enough to take a picture. It was necessary to slide between people. I slid by this one guy with a clothes pin and money attached to his beads. He told me it was too crowded to get his money out of his pocket so he carries it “up-front.” Everyone is friendly and polite. No cross words spoken or drunken behavior evident, although the rules are, no standing on the jukebox, bar, or tables. And no kissing on the lips. Leon, in the striped shirt above, told me he kissed his girlfriend and owner,  Tante Sue,  wapped him on the head with her “no kissing” stick.

These two out-of-town women have been friends for 55 years. The Justice Of The Peace, on the left, offered to marry Jim and I, and rescind it for no extra charge, but we declined.

Tante Sue keeps the whole shebang running. Between slapping beers on the bar, counting change, cleaning up a cans, bottles and glasses, she is known to break into dance with the music while playing the accordion on her shirt, reach in her holster for some “Hot Damn”, take a slug and yell “Quinta!” (which means Who Dat?) In fact, she sometimes tastes a new pint of Hot Damn before handing it over to the customer.

This couple pilgrimage to Fred’s twice a year. She once lived in Santa Barbara, CA for four years but couldn’t stay away from Louisiana. They have Targil’s Spices, you can order on line. Everyone is rooting for love-him-or-hate-him Shockey and the Saints, and gearing up for Mardi Gras.

I met Mikell above in line for the bathroom. She is almost ready for Mardi Gras and we coined some folksy wisdom, no matter where you are, be it fancy or folksy, women have to wait in line for the bathroom.

Picture A New York Subway Train At Rush Hour Crammed Full Of…

Very friendly people and a French Cajun Music Band out in the middle of Nowhere, Louisiana and you’ve got Fred’s Lounge in Mamou, Louisiana…the Cajun Music Capitol Of The World!…at least that’s what the sign on the outside of the building says.

Inside a sign says…

The sign says it all!

Yesterday (Saturday) morning, Mary and I left the motorhome at 7:00 AM for the about 20 mile drive to Mamou, Louisiana. You’ve got to arrive when they open the doors at 7:30 AM if you want one of the 12 seats at the bar. In addition the lounge sits an additional 25 people and about 150 with standing room only. At 7:35 AM, Mary ordered a scotch and water and I ordered a Miller’s Lite Beer. The band starts at 9:00 AM and plays wild and crazy Cajun Music non-stop until 1:30 PM and the lounge closes at 2:00 PM.

To see the other 14 pictures I took, click this link…
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver/MamouLA2010#

For a great history and more pictures of Fred’s Lounge, click this link…
http://web.lsue.edu/acadgate/mamou.htm

We left a little after noon and returned to the motorhome to work on our Blogs and get some rest for the afternoon/evening activities which were…

Mary had been craving Crawfish and finally was fulfilled at Nick’s Restaurant…

Mary finally gets her Crawfish!

Then on to the big weekly Saturday Night event at The Liberty Theater…The Rondez Vous de Cajuns…

This was the 1,158 performance of the Rendez Vous de Cajuns at the Liberty Theater.

We had front row seats and sat next to a French-speaking couple who have been married for 60 years. They have attended this event for every Saturday night for more than 20 years and have the only two reserved seats in the place! She reminded me very much of my Mother who passed away April 3, 2003 at the age of 83.

This couple has been attending the Rendez Vous de Cajuns every Saturday night for more than 20 years.

One sad comment as it relates to current times… I was last here in the year 2000 and the place was jammed-packed…standing room only! Last night it was only about 10% full. It appears to be a combination of tough economic times and lack of heritage interest by younger people. According to this older couple…the younger people are not attending because they are out in the bars drinking and doing drugs. A really sad statement about the world we live in!

The Liberty Theater has been there since 1927 and has been hosting the Rondez Vous de Cajuns for more tha 20 years…Here’s their website…
http://www.eunice-la.com/libertyschedule.html

This completed our second and last day in Eunice, Louisiana. Today we’ll depart by 10:00 AM for the about 175 mile drive to New Orleans for a two-week Mardi Gras stay.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

I’M GOING TO NAME HER AFTER MY WIFE!!

“I’m going to name her after my wife!” So said Monsieur C. C. Duson when he established a railroad head in Landry Parrish Louisiana. Eunice is an unassuming town. It became a bastion of good food and special music after being settled by Acadians, that mix of French-speaking Cajuns. The decedents of European French, Creoles from Haiti and Germans created a unique cultural mix of people, language, music and religious beliefs, but the ancient tradition of mardi gras came from the peasant classes of France.

We walked into the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center and watched an hour video of the local people of Eunice running the Mardi Gras. The costume above belonged to the ranger working that day. A local, he ran the Mardi Gras the first time at age 14. The whole town is gearing up for this special family/community event. The costume shops are humming and parents are sewing hats and painting masks. (The pictures that follow are taken of photos.)

Its roots in Saturnalia, the raucus crowds of Euopean countries would costume themselves so they were unidentifiable. They spoofed their royals by imitating the court jester, their tall hats, or the Bishops hat, even a particular face. Winter was the leanest time of year and if they were hungry, they would resort to begging even though ashamed to beg. The costumes prevented their neighbors from knowing who they were.

In Eunice, the men traditionally ride out on horse back. Now, with farms so far apart, some ride on wagons or trucks. The assigned Captain asks if the mardi gras’ can approach. If yes, they charge and the farmer throws a chicken or two, or three. In a good year, maybe a small pig and some money. The farmer wants them gone and he throws the chicken away from his house as far as he can. The group chases the chickens until they are caught. The men may have imbibed before showing up at the farmer’s place and they reward him with a dance and song.

‘

This mardi gras holds up the chicken he caught.

A mardi gras dances on top of his horse.
Once gathered, the meat is brought back to town, where it is cooked in a giant gumbo for the whole community. Parades, song and dance, and feasting is part of the celebration. Adults and children of all ages join in the fun. For some young boys, it is a right-of-passage. According to our ranger, running the Mardi Gras is tough, you become a grown-up from running the Mardi Gras. The video makes that clear. This festival has been studied in depth.

We left the Acadian Center and visited the Eunice Museum, The Cajun Music Hall of Fame and a local radio station.

A cigar box banjo above and an unidentifiable stringed instrument below.

An old time German accordion, all part of the great musical tradition of Cajuns.

Initially, 32 Cajun musicians were honored in this historic Hall Of Fame. They now add two per year. People outside of Cajun Country don’t necessarily recognize these unforgettable musicians who have contributed so much to this great,original music.

At work behind the window was the disk Jockey/ad hawker, from Station KBON 101.1 on your dial. The station plays mostly Cajun music, of course. The walls are filled with autographs and pictures of great musicians who’ve appeared on this station. We recognized Fats Domino, Little Ritchie and below, Doug Keershaw, the Ragin’ Cajun among other notables. We followed wall after wall of autographs and pictures.

What a great place to visit. Now, this is only an inkling of what Eunice, Louisiana is like.

Eunice, Louisiana – Day 1

Mary and I spent the day wandering around downtown Eunice, Louisiana. The first stop was at the Prairie Acadia Cultural Center where….aghhhhh!…I discovered I had left my camera in our motorhome! Duhhhhhhh! Mary took this one photo for me.

The center is one of six parts of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve located in Southern Louisiana and has wonderful exhibits explaining the cultural history of the Cajun people. Mary and I are both from French-Canadian backgrounds. While there we viewed an hour-long film entitled “Dance With The Chicken” which identified the cultural heritage behind the Mardi Gras celebration.

I expect we will get to the other five elements of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve before leaving Louisiana. Here’s the official government link…
http://www.nps.gov/jela/prairie-acadian-cultural-center-eunice.htm

In addition we also visited in Eunice…
* Cajun Music Hall Of Fame And Museum,
* Railroad Depot Museum,
* Radio Station KBON Studio, 101.1 FM…where hundreds of Cajun Musicians have autographed the walls over the years, and…
* A Cajun store where Mary bought a quasi Mardi Gras costume.

For a more complete description of our day, see Mary’s Blog at http://marysramblins.blogspot.com

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

FLAT STANLEY EXPLAINED

When I blogged my exotic trip to Thailand in January, I inserted pictures here and there with Flat Stanley and promised to explain Flat Stanley later. Aha! A reader reminded me I failed to do that so here goes. In the picture above he greets us from a hotel in the Golden Triangle.

In Bangkok, he attended a marvelous puppet show with our OAT travel group.

Earlier in the day, we watched as Thai’s made unusual (to us) flower arrangements in the bustling flower market there.

Later, Flat Stanley was photographed on a very exotic flower arrangement.

Flowers in Thailand are omnipresent. This guardian of the Khantoke garden is festooned with flowers.

The Khantoke garden was our lunch stop on the road between Chaing Rai and Chaing Mai. Flat Stanley got to ride a bike rickshaw.
And below, he consorted with the school children from Bankhonsung School in Phitsanulok.

Flat Stanley is a geography lesson for school children. A printout was given to my grandson, Austin, who colored Flat Stanley to resemble himself with red hair, his favorite color shirt and pants. Then, Flat Stanley traveled with me, was returned to Austin at the end of our trip, and his travels followed by the children in school who, I hope, learned something about Thailand.
Of course, since I lost the last half of my pictures, Flat Stanley’s return to Austin isn’t in my blog. Darn!

Eunice, Louisiana

After driving 5+ hours in the rain yesterday, we arrived safely in Eunice, LA. We are parked in the VFW parking lot and will be here a couple of days. It finally stopped raining during the night and it’s supposed to be nice weather through the weekend. Temperatures in the high 50’s.

I was last here in 2000. It’s a really neat place…be sure to follow our Blogs for the next couple of days.

We’re about 175 miles West-north-west of New Orleans, a drive we will make on Sunday. In the below photo, the BSSP pin is for Bayou Segnette State Park where we will be parked during our two-week stay there during Mardi Gras. It’s only 7 miles from downtown.

The “Big Picture” as seen by Google Earth.

In other news…Mary’s Blog posting on our mutual Blog on WordPress made the front page on WordPress. We had 1,370 views yesterday alone! If you’ve not seen our mutual Blog, you can see it at http://otrwjam.wordpress.com

On our mutual Blog, we frequently write about the same place/thing we have seen from two very different perspectives…Jim the ex-engineer and Mary the ex-journalist.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2010
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com