Time to pack up and leave

While it is great to celebrate and have one big last fling before we get back to reality and start fasting; there comes a point in your life where age catches up with you and the celebration is just to much.

For those of you that have never seen Mardi Gras I recommend it. You will see things you never saw anywhere else. But for those of us that have lived it for years; enough is enough.

Starting last night there will be about 60 parades in the next 11 days.

So I'm thinking this may be a good time to head for the fishing camp.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wNSHPQj0W8">IKO IKO</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccu2_MRMF5Y">Carnival Time</a>

John I have visited New Orleans several times. Never at this time of year because of the craziness. I found I liked some of the old buildings and homes but not to whole city. It is a very dirt city as a whole. The food is OK but not what I like as I can't do the spicy stuff.

The old plantations where wonderful to tour. While I despise slavery they are beautiful buildings.

I also never could understand why the local people put up with such a corrupt government and police force. High murder rates and crooks on both side of the system. I just do not get why or how people tolerate those things.

Did they rebuild the home that where flooded after Katrina??? There are whole sections of the city that are below sea level. Anywhere else in the country if you take FEMA money your new/rebuilt home has to be above the flood plain or you can't get flood insurance or any future government help. It always seems a dumb idea to build below sea level in an area know to get hit with hurricanes.

I guess everywhere has it own problems but it sure seems like New Orleans has more than its share.

i can relate. hollister, ca. is the big town closest to us. every 4th of july they have a biker rally. most of the ranchers avoid the town on that weekend.

Jennifer 408"
Years ago the company I worked fur had a plant in Watsonville, Ca.
I used to stop at Casa de Fruta's place, Are they still in business?

JD, I agree with you, and I've lived in Louisiana all my life. Unfortunately, a lot of people who visit New Orleans judge the entire state by that perception. In reality, Louisiana is more like three or four different states, with New Orleans being one of those--an entity in itself. It bears little resemblance to most of the rest of the state.

Then there is the 'state' of Acadiana, 'Cajun' country, which is generally west and south of New Orleans. These people have a culture which, though fun-loving, is entirely different from the New Orleans experience. Primarily rural, Acadiana is an area where people fish, hunt, farm and work in the oil industry and enjoy life as a natural course of their day, rather than by seeking out and wallowing in the kind of superficial 'fun' that is epitomized by New Orleans. While New Orleans is noted for its good food, I think most of that good food originated with the Cajuns. They do know how to fix good groceries.

As for the rest of the state, we're pretty dull and bland. North and east of New Orleans the culture is more of a mix of northern and southern influences. From the middle of the state north to Arkansas, the culture is more uptight, conservative, agricultural, Protestant, nnalert--outside the larger cities. Northwest Louisiana is more like east Texas than south Louisiana. The topography is different too: north Louisiana has pine forests, lakes and hills, as well as river delta farm land.

In short, there's more to see in Louisiana than New Orleans, and if you've seen only New Orleans, you haven't seen Louisiana.

As far as corruption goes, well, it's a state tradition. Three consecutive state insurance commissioners went to prison. A former governor went to prison, served 8 or 10 years, got out and just made an impressive run for his old Congressional seat. And we're not even talking about New Orleans; corruption is an art-form there.

I'm sure John and the other Louisiana guys can offer their own takes on the matter.

That's true about the flood plains. UNless you have the money to hire a certain law firm that has ties to people inside FEMA who can get the flood plains redrawn for you so that your condos and high-rise hotels aren't in the flood plains anymore. Even though the house that's on the little hill behind the subject building now is.

There's people being told they have to buy flood insurance because they built a deck onto the house, and the ground around one of the posts is half an inch too low.

I was in between jobs in 1974. 3 buddies and myself piled in my car and went down there for a week. Camped outside of town and hit the town every night. I never partied so much in my life. I think it took me a week when I got back home to recuperate.
Way too crazy for me now. I figure it can't be much different than it was then.

Jerry
I grew up in Metairie. A suburb of New Orleans and inside the levee system of New Orleans. My mom and dads house is below sea level.
When I got out of the USAF the first thing I did was move out of that god forsaken town. I tried Atlanta for a while but missed home. I now live on the north shore about 50 miles from New Orleans.

While most would read what JD wrote and take it as a slap in the face; I have to also agree with him even though this is my home. It's one of the reasons I encouraged all my kids to leave this state and plant roots somewhere else. Only one left.

All one has to do is look at the superdome after Katrina and see what type of people live in New Orleans.
As you say is about 4 states in one. You could look at a zip code map and pretty much pick out the different areas.

Lots of houses in New Orleans got raised on the government dime after Katrina. Trouble is houses that had 8 feet of water in them got raised 4 to 6 feet. Now tell me how that will help anything for the next flood.
Lots of sea walls being built. I can kinda understand protection levees from the river but protection from a cat 5 storm is unrealistic. Name one other city in the U.S. that tries to protect from such a storm. I say that is what insurance is for. But then again insurance and some neighborhoods in New Orleans is a oxymoron.

We would have really shown to the world what kind of state we are if Edwards had won. LOL.
But you play the hand you are dealt because this is our home.

I've been all over LA but never to New Orleans. I was raised in SE AR and we used to do our shopping in Monroe. It's been several years but me and the wife would get a hankering for real Cajun food and drive down to Lafayette or Baton Rouge. She spent a couple of years in New Orleans and just from her stories I knew I had best stay away.

Had the corps of engineers not been shut down by the people who were afraid the frogs would drown in the 70s most of that may have been avoided.

Been to New O three times to visit with a land lady. All three times in the last of February or first of March. All three times we have visited family and friends on the way down and back. A year ago the time we chose to go just happened to put us there on Fat Tuesday. We darned near froze. 37 degrees and drizzling! My hand stung when I'd grab the beads they throw down from the balconies but nonetheless it was very interesting. I would love to be in the celebration on a warmer day. We stay with the land lady and one of her sons is always there to take us or lead us around town. She lives on the south side of the river not far from where the ferry docks so we can get on the ferry and get dropped off or drive our car off very close to where the activity is.

One of her sons is a carpenter. He took us around the old part of town and was telling us he did a remodeling job on this house and that house acting like the houses were plain old houses like we have here in Iowa. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the architecture of those buildings. Very interesting to say the least. Then he took us to the cemetery where his dad is buried. It was very different to say the least. We were walking in this miniature town of above ground tombs and mausoleums, some fancy and some plain. We Iowans have nothing that will compare to that. We can't go this year, but I sure would like to. Jim

"She lives on the south side of the river" LOL
Jim; We can tell you have been to New Orleans.
The river runs north to south so there is a east bank and a west bank. No south bank. LOL
But I know what you mean.
There are places you can stand in the city and look at the bridge that crosses the river. The end to your west is really the east bank and the end to your east is really the west bank.
Kind of hard to picture in your mind unless you realize the city is in a crescent of the river.

I sometimes talk about how I will be buried in the same grave my grandparents; parents; and kids will be buried in not realizing that most of you guys are shaking your heads thinking "what on earth is he talking about; same grave".

The old town court yards; wrought iron fence; and general architecture is something to see even though us locals take it for granted as everyone has this.

I was born, raised and still live in one of the poorest parishes in the Delta but would never live anywhere else and you couldn't run my kids out of Northeast Louisiana, although myself and both of my boys always had to leave to work we still live here and our people are buried here as we will be. We still have a fairly low cost of living, most taxes are reasonable outside of the state income tax and the best part is, where I live at least, there is very little local government, no, the gravel roads don't get graded but once a year or so but no one else is meddling with you, we can still build any thing we want any place we want to build it with no permits, no fees, no inspections and no reassessments. The trash that currently inhabits much of New Orleans is no true reflection on the original inhabitants who built the city or their decendents, they are a product of the welfare/entitlement state and behave exactly like their brethren in Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore, you name it. The fact that New Orleans has the highest murder rate per capita probably has a lot to do with the climate and the lower population as compared to other welfare cities, as long as they are shooting each other the murder rates is not high enough in my opinion.

Wife of a friend was telling me that they were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras a few years ago- guys kept throwing her strings of beads (she's what you would call a "looker"). She'd just smile and wave, and put them around her neck. "I just thought everyone was in a party mood."

Her husband then chimed in- "I hadn't noticed her getting the beads- when I saw her with several strings around her neck, I didn't say anything, but just watched to see if she was giving value for value received- was relieved when she caught another string and just smiled and waved at the guy. I then told her what the deal was with the beads, and to lose the ones she had, and when others are thrown, just smile and toss them back. She turned bright red."

Yeah, John, we dodged a bullet with Edwin. But, not to worry, help may be on the way: I understand your friend David may be testing the waters again.

Yeah, LAA, I've lived in other places, but I've always come back to the hills and hollers of northwest Louisiana. It's not perfect, but this is where I want to live. Wouldn't trade the heat for the cold and snow I see on this forum, that's for sure.

I'd like to see the Cemetery! And the architecture.

The corp of engineers ruined the marsh, or, to be fair about it, the flood plan that the corp enacted and the infrastructure they built and the water they diverted ruined the marsh. Louisiana has lost from tens to hundreds of square miles of coastal marsh per year every since the mid 60's thanks to federal government "help" to prevent flooding from the lower Atchafalaya basin to the Gulf Of Mexico. I made many a trip with my Dad buying cattle and sheep in the marsh, there was a sea of grass year round in those days.

Say, what ever happened to that idiot Mayor Nagen...or what ever his name was when Katrina hit?

John, you know the area a whole lot better than me, so I feel uncomfortable arguing with a native. When we go to her house we cross the river on Bus. 90 going east. Then we hit De gaulle dr, turn off at Mc Arthur and go east till we hit Kabel. Kabel goes north and south and hits the river on the north end of the street where the river goes southeast. So it depends on the way you look at it. Anyway, I do wish we could head that way again this year but it can't happen.

(quoted from post at 18:02:08 02/07/15)
John, you know the area a whole lot better than me, so I feel uncomfortable arguing with a native. When we go to her house we cross the river on Bus. 90 going east. Then we hit De gaulle dr, turn off at Mc Arthur and go east till we hit Kabel. Kabel goes north and south and hits the river on the north end of the street where the river goes southeast. So it depends on the way you look at it. Anyway, I do wish we could head that way again this year but it can't happen.

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OK, I re- read your reply John. Lessee, south is really east and north is really west, or is it the other way around. LOL. Anyway, her neighborhood used to be really clean till people from the bottom land were moved into apartment buildings in her area. Kind of gives me the creeps when we drive past a parked car surrounded by a few of them and they are looking me over as I go by. I can see why some people pack heat.

I've been to New Orleans TWICE....once during Mardi Gras, and once in mid summer. NEVER going back, if I can help it.

There seams to be a power struggle between New Orleans and Mobile, Al as to who was the original city to start the Mardi Gras parades.
But it maybe settled as simply as asking Where do you really want to Party?

That's kind of like the argument about Columbus being the first to discover America. When the Spaniards had a Fort built in Spanish Fort, Alabama 350 years before Christopher Columbus landed on Plymouth rock.

I read that they had plans to build sea gates to keep the storm surge out of the lake, then set it up so that if they were topped, the lake would drain off into the swamps instead of topping the levees.

I think it was in Mopar Collectors Guide. Founded and published in Louisiana (if they are still around).

I understand about keeping the water flowing in a channel instead of letting it flood the swamp. If it can't slow down before it hits the gulf it doesn't drop any sediment first.

Can't drown the frogs though!!!
Isn't there a spot where the Mississippi would flow down the Atchafalaya if not for a man made concrete reinforced levee?

Evidently, schools in Alabama don't teach history....

He's in a federal slammer in Texarkana, doing 10 for bribery and
money laundering.

Yes Jim its kind of confusing unless you look at a map.
This is the bridge you cross. New Orleans is to the left (west) but it is really the east bank. Where your friend lives (circle) to the right is really south east of the city but it is really the west bank.
If you realize the river is flowing from the south to the north at this spot you can understand it better.
I just got a chuckle out of you saying the south side of the river. Never heard it called that before.

"Isn't there a spot where the Mississippi would flow down the Atchafalaya if not for a man made concrete reinforced levee?"

Yes its called Old River Control Structure
The Mississippi wants to turn and go down the Atchafalaya. This structure forces 70% of the water in the Mississippi to stay in the Mississippi and flow past New Orleans.

(quoted from post at 10:30:37 02/07/15) Jennifer 408"
Years ago the company I worked fur had a plant in Watsonville, Ca.
I used to stop at Casa de Fruta's place, Are they still in business?

Click to expand...

yep, they are still in business.

Found out about that in a Clive Cussler book.

T in NE- Al Giordino is my hero!

never been to Mardi Gras, too old to party but Iko, Iko is one of my favorite songs. Good tune with a good beat. thanks for sharing.