Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends.
Because we have 5,000+ postings, I’ve invited her to continue posting entries on this blog.
I’m currently in my 23rd year of full-time RVing and my lifestyle is changing, For more info click Here
Since my RVing life is changing (see above), I’m starting to re-visit previously visited places. So rather than constantly re-blogging past entries, I’ve decided to do something different.
Heavy rains this morning…no Internet signal for three hours…late posting!
The motorhome is parked at the 1,086 acre Sam Houston Jones State Park about 12 miles north of the city. We are here to enjoy Mardi Gras and will depart on February 13th.
You can read about Lake Charles by clicking this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Charles,_Louisiana
You can read all about the history of Mardi Gras in Southwest Louisiana by clicking this link…
http://www.swlamardigras.com/about/history.cfm
Yesterday was our fifth day in Lake Charles and the second one with Mardi Gras activity. Back to the second floor of the Civic Center where the first event of the day was the Taste de la Louisiane, For $7 a person we got to sample a variety of Louisiana special cooking. Mary and I tend to like our food spicy, so we thought the offerings were a bit on the bland side, but otherwise fine…
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
Then downstairs to the Children’s Day activities…
I have been complaining to Mary that we’ve met only a few French people. Then we met Eva Gidlow and all that changed…
She knows everyone in Lake Charles or so it seemed. There was a terrific Cajun band playing by the name of The Sundown Playboys…
and dancing to the music were a bunch of French people from a dancing club. Here’s the back of their shirts which means…I think…The Good Time Dancers Association of French Cajun Music – Lake Charles Chapter…
You can read all about this association by clicking this link…
http://www.cfmalakecharles.org/
She also introduced us to Lesa Cormier. the son of the founder and also the manager of the band…
Lesa was kind enough to give us a copy of their latest CD. We played it last night in the motorhome and let me tell you…IT’S THE REAL THING! Cajun Music just does not get any better!!!
You can read all about the Sundown Playboys by clicking this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sundown_Playboys
On this next link you can listen to two preview tracks and if you would like to buy an album you can click the email button or just call him at 377-842-0884…
http://www.visitlakecharles.org/listings/?listingID=148942&hit=1&menuID=108
By time we finished there, we had an invitation to ride on the Krewe de Cajun float on Fat Tuesday…which is tomorrow and the final day of Mardi Gras. We also are invited to sit with them this evening at the Royal Gala…The Cinderella moment of the season features the 2013 courts of more than 50 Krewes with kings, queens, royal dukes and cuchesses, captains, courtesans and jesters,
What is a Krewe? I’m glad you asked…here’s the answer…
First you make a Krewe:
A krewe is any group or organization of revelers to band together to host a Mardi Gras ball, ride on a Mardi Gras parade float and participate in social events throughout the year.
In Southwest Louisiana, there are more than 50 krewes, a number that continues to grow each season. Each krewe is a part of a larger organization called Krewe of Krewes that formed in 1979 when the area’s krewes joined together to create a parade for the community enjoyment. Now the culmination of Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras festivities, the Krewe of Krewes Parade was first held in 1980.
Just as one pot of gumbo varies from the next, krewes are formed for many different reasons and one can gain acceptance to a krewe in many different ways. Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras krewes offer a fun way for all families to get involved in the Carnival season. Read on for more information on area krewes and perhaps find a way to get involved in one yourself!
Eva also introduced to the local media people. The fellow from on the left is from the local newspaper and the fellow on the right from the local TV station. He indicated he would like to interview us in the motorhome and said he would call us today to set the time…
Then it was time to move outside for the Children’s Parade. We were stationed just outside the parking lot when the parade began as well as the RAIN…
By time the parade was finished we had a huge pile of beads plus we were soaking wet! We still have yesterday’s clothing scattered all over the motorhome trying to get them dried.
More Mardi Gras stuff on tap for today!
Enjoying Louisiana Mardi Gras is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Louisiana. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com
TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! MARY WROTE A MANY GREAT BLOGS…SO WHENEVER SHE PUBLISHED A BLOG POSTING THE SAME DAY THAT I DID…YOU WILL BE ABLE TO READ HER BLOG BY CLICKING THE BELOW LINK! DO IT NOW!
https://otrwjam.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/taste-de-louisiane-childrens-day-a-wet-parade/
I hope you enjoyed the photos!
Forecast for today is partly sunny and 73 degrees.
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Que Sera, Sera... Whatever Will Be, Will Be... 