99 Adventures Episode 4: Let’s Mardi Gras! In Bandera TX?

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Come along with Alan and Kim as they catch beads, enjoy gumbo, and listen to amazing cajun and zydeco bands during Cowboy Mardi Gras in Bandera, Texas. Then Kim cooks up a delicious pot of crawfish etouffee. C’est Bon!

Crawfish Etouffee Ingredients🦞

1lb Crawfish Tails 5 TBSP Butter Holy Trinity (Onion, Bell Pepper, & Celery) Garlic Cornstarch Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning Salt & Pepper Rice

Places or Products💯

Cowboy Mardi Gras in Bandera TX https://cowboymardigrasbandera.com/

Mardi Gras Parades in the Lafayette, LA area https://www.gomardigras.com/

Mardi Gras Parades in Mobile, AL http://www.mobilemask.com/home.html

Barefoot Mardi Gras Corpus Christi, TX https://barefootmardigras.com/

 

#mardigras #rv #rvlife #rvliving #banderatx

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
All right, we're starting off this episode a little different.

(00:03):
.999one of the things that we haven't really talked about is that, we did live a long time in Corpus Christi, but that's not where we're both from. 3 00:00:16,609.999 --> 00:00:17,689.998 I hope y'all can hear this okay. 4 00:00:18,269.999 --> 00:00:27,669.999 I'm actually from Lafayette, Louisiana, and Alan is from East Texas, Marshall, and today we are in Bandera. 5 00:00:28,259.999 --> 00:00:33,509.999 Texas for the Mardi Gras parade. 6 00:00:33,749.999 --> 00:00:35,219.999 So I had to come check it out. 7 00:00:36,49.999 --> 00:00:43,729.998 They're having big parade, gumbo cook off, bunch of bands playing, Wayne Toops is playing tonight. 8 00:00:44,79.998 --> 00:00:54,699.999 So we're gonna be here for all of that and we're gonna get our little take on the Mardi Gras parade here, see how they can measure up to South Louisiana. 9 00:00:55,819.999 --> 00:01:04,599.999 We'll take y'all along, drop in some sights and sounds, and then we'll meet y'all back at the rig for a little recap. 10 00:01:05,359.999 --> 00:01:06,69.999 Talk to y'all soon. 11 00:01:08,981.565666667 --> 00:01:15,451.565666667 Welcome to 99 adventures, the podcast where the campsite stories are all about the RV lifestyle. 12 00:01:15,911.565666667 --> 00:01:20,721.565666667 We're your hosts, Alan and Kim, fellow lovers of all things RV living. 13 00:01:21,161.565666667 --> 00:01:25,601.564666667 Here on 99 Adventures, we explore the highs and hiccups of life on wheels. 14 00:01:25,881.565666667 --> 00:01:30,981.564666667 Whether it's discovering hidden gems off the beaten path or tackling the realities of RV living. 15 00:01:31,421.566666667 --> 00:01:35,21.565666667 But we're not just about the travel, we're about the taste, too. 16 00:01:35,391.565666667 --> 00:01:40,341.56566667 In every episode, we'll cook up something special right from the RV kitchen or campsite. 17 00:01:40,611.56566667 --> 00:01:43,756.56566667 So get hooked up grab your skillet, and let's hit the road. 18 00:01:43,766.56566667 --> 00:01:47,146.56566667 It's time for 99 Adventures, where the journey and the flavors never stop. 19 00:01:49,881.56566667 --> 00:01:56,911.46566667 Here is a native Louisiana crew from the hometown of Wayne Toups, Crowley, Louisiana. 20 00:01:56,911.56566667 --> 00:02:06,936.91112121 Hey, we're doing it right here. 21 00:02:06,936.91112121 --> 00:02:15,269.58384848 Oh, they're throwing moon pies. 22 00:02:15,291.46566667 --> 00:02:17,331.46566667 Oh, that's what they do in Mobile. 23 00:02:17,331.56566667 --> 00:02:19,651.46566667 Oh, that's cool. 24 00:02:19,881.46566667 --> 00:02:27,681.46566667 President, vice President, the Moon pie, yay chamber. 25 00:02:30,111.46566667 --> 00:02:36,441.46566667 Shout out to our mobile folks who put the moon pies on the map by Larry McMurtry. 26 00:02:36,441.56566667 --> 00:02:54,816.63457382 The Star Spangled Banner All right. 27 00:02:55,876.63457382 --> 00:02:58,296.63457382 Well, we're back in the rig. 28 00:02:58,976.63457382 --> 00:02:59,216.63457382 Yep. 29 00:02:59,226.63457382 --> 00:03:03,596.63457382 From our little adventure, Mardi Gras Parade in Bandera, Texas. 30 00:03:04,966.63457382 --> 00:03:08,746.63357382 But once, but before we get going on that and talking about that. 31 00:03:11,656.63457382 --> 00:03:15,406.63457382 What's cooking? That's right because I'm the one cooking today. 32 00:03:16,126.63457382 --> 00:03:16,926.63457382 She can cook. 33 00:03:16,966.63457382 --> 00:03:17,756.63457382 I can. 34 00:03:18,6.63457382 --> 00:03:18,846.63457382 Yes, a little bit. 35 00:03:19,66.63457382 --> 00:03:21,486.63457382 But y'all just watch. 36 00:03:21,536.63457382 --> 00:03:24,226.63457382 He will be over here taking over in no time. 37 00:03:24,506.63357382 --> 00:03:26,306.63457382 No, no, no, no, not this time. 38 00:03:26,326.63457382 --> 00:03:27,86.63357382 Not this time? No. 39 00:03:27,136.63357382 --> 00:03:28,276.63357382 Okay, we'll see. 40 00:03:28,876.63357382 --> 00:03:29,396.63457382 We'll see. 41 00:03:29,776.63357382 --> 00:03:38,831.63357382 Today we are making crawfish etouffee to go along with Oh, Mardi Gras. 42 00:03:38,831.63357382 --> 00:03:39,461.63357382 Mardi Gras. 43 00:03:39,541.63357382 --> 00:03:43,131.63357382 We are thick in the Mardi Gras season as we record this. 44 00:03:43,711.63357382 --> 00:03:50,71.63257382 And so that's what we're going to be cooking is crawfish etouffee. 45 00:03:51,261.63357382 --> 00:03:57,471.63457382 I've got butter melting right here in the pan and I'm about to sauté up some crawfish tails. 46 00:03:58,41.63457382 --> 00:04:01,531.63457382 And, just FYI, when you go to buy crawfish tails. 47 00:04:02,861.63457382 --> 00:04:03,901.63457382 Be sure to check them. 48 00:04:04,41.63457382 --> 00:04:06,961.63457382 You can get them in the frozen food section, but look at them. 49 00:04:07,11.63457382 --> 00:04:12,231.63457382 They need to say certified Cajun, and they don't need to say that they were made in China. 50 00:04:12,741.63457382 --> 00:04:15,101.63457382 If that's what it says, put them back. 51 00:04:15,931.63457382 --> 00:04:19,151.63357382 Crawfish really technically weren't made in China. 52 00:04:19,721.63457382 --> 00:04:26,546.73457382 They get processed in China, and it's really not the Cajun way per se. 53 00:04:26,556.73457382 --> 00:04:41,66.73407382 We like to get the frozen ones that were processed and grown in Louisiana, deep south, Texas around Houston, Beaumont, Port Arthur area, and on into Louisiana, they just, know what they're doing. 54 00:04:41,126.73407382 --> 00:04:41,466.73407382 Right. 55 00:04:41,616.73407382 --> 00:04:46,226.73507382 So we stick to the Acadiana crawfish, company generally. 56 00:04:47,326.73507382 --> 00:04:48,646.73507382 And say we're from that China stuff. 57 00:04:48,696.73507382 --> 00:04:52,856.73507382 So I hope we don't offend anybody by that, but that's just keeping it real. 58 00:04:52,856.73507382 --> 00:04:53,106.73507382 Right. 59 00:04:53,106.83507382 --> 00:04:55,886.73507382 So, okay. 60 00:04:56,886.73507382 --> 00:04:59,646.73407382 Mardi Gras in Bandera, Texas. 61 00:05:01,76.73407382 --> 00:05:03,576.73507382 I have to say we had a great time. 62 00:05:04,366.73507382 --> 00:05:21,316.73507382 I'm just going to do a little bit of background on, um, Mardi Gras, first of all, when I saw this, that Bandera was going to have a Mardi Gras parade and a whole weekend of music and all this stuff, I knew, gumbo cook off, gumbo cook off. 63 00:05:21,606.73607382 --> 00:05:24,456.73407382 I knew I wanted to, just see how they do it. 64 00:05:24,676.73407382 --> 00:05:25,776.73407382 See how they measure up. 65 00:05:26,256.73407382 --> 00:05:27,846.73407382 that's one of the things about RV life. 66 00:05:27,886.73407382 --> 00:05:31,706.73407382 Like, just really embracing the community that you're in. 67 00:05:31,956.73407382 --> 00:05:33,956.73307382 I was born and raised in South Louisiana. 68 00:05:33,986.73407382 --> 00:05:35,596.73307382 Grew up going to Mardi Gras parades. 69 00:05:36,286.73307382 --> 00:05:41,286.73307382 And, It may not be exactly what you thought. 70 00:05:41,366.73307382 --> 00:05:43,546.73307382 But, hey, some things might surprise you. 71 00:05:43,856.73307382 --> 00:05:45,626.73307382 For sure. 72 00:05:46,226.83307382 --> 00:05:57,726.73307382 We were definitely surprised Okay, so just for those of you who may not really know what Mardi Gras is And how it began. 73 00:05:57,756.73407382 --> 00:06:18,761.53407382 I thought I'd give a little bit of a background and I'm gonna read some of this stuff to y'all I Found an excerpt from the Daily Advertiser newspaper, which is in Lafayette, Louisiana and Kind of where It originated from, and where the colors came from. 74 00:06:19,801.53407382 --> 00:06:25,641.53407382 The purple, gold, and green colors are the symbolic colors of the Mardi Gras, tradition. 75 00:06:26,71.53407382 --> 00:06:31,871.53407382 Basically this kind of started way back in the late 1800s. 76 00:06:31,921.53407382 --> 00:06:37,676.53407382 And, um, The Grand Duke of Russia was coming during carnival season. 77 00:06:38,66.53407382 --> 00:06:41,16.53407382 And so, and this is how it started, carnival season. 78 00:06:41,36.53407382 --> 00:06:44,686.43507382 Errol Laborde, he's an historian and he wrote a book. 79 00:06:44,796.43507382 --> 00:06:49,446.53507382 And he says that he has a theory about where these Colors came from. 80 00:06:49,866.53507382 --> 00:07:02,676.53507382 And basically he says that, they were based on heraldry, the system of which coats of arms and other armoral bearings are devised, described, and regulated. 81 00:07:03,6.53407382 --> 00:07:03,846.53407382 The rule of tincture. 82 00:07:04,761.63507382 --> 00:07:14,241.53507382 It states that metals, gold or silver, should not be placed next to each other, and colors should also not be placed next to each other. 83 00:07:14,861.53507382 --> 00:07:37,51.53407382 Although the colors are now typically displayed in purple, green, and gold, right, and that really doesn't go with the rule of tincture, The, one of the original Mardi Gras associations out of New Orleans, the Rex Organization, might have been trying to create a, a tricolor to represent its kingdom, and when there's a kingdom, there's always, a flag, and kings, and we'll get to that too. 84 00:07:37,741.53507382 --> 00:07:45,581.53507382 Purple is widely associated with royalty, both metals and colors are necessary in a coat of arms according to the heraldry system. 85 00:07:45,721.53507382 --> 00:07:49,641.53407382 So then gold was just obvious, another obvious choice was picked. 86 00:07:50,191.53407382 --> 00:07:57,441.53507382 And then, they couldn't, there was really no documented reason why they chose green other than maybe they were just looking at the color wheel or. 87 00:07:58,826.53507382 --> 00:08:05,66.53507382 It wasn't a color that was widely used by some other, on some other flags and things like that. 88 00:08:05,76.53507382 --> 00:08:11,476.53507382 So, purple means justice, green means faith, and gold means power. 89 00:08:12,26.53507382 --> 00:08:18,536.53407382 Mardi Gras happens during carnival season, which takes place in all, all over the world. 90 00:08:18,556.53407382 --> 00:08:23,106.53507382 Rio de Janeiro has big carnival season, Italy, all of that. 91 00:08:23,136.53507382 --> 00:08:27,206.53507382 And it's the carnival season leading up to Lent. 92 00:08:28,156.53507382 --> 00:08:41,896.53507382 And so Mardi Gras is the day before, it's Fat Tuesday, it is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of the Lentil season, which, lasts for six weeks until, Good Friday and Easter. 93 00:08:42,141.53607382 --> 00:08:44,611.53607382 That's the traditional kind of where it started. 94 00:08:44,961.53607382 --> 00:08:57,841.53607382 And then in South Louisiana, far South Louisiana, where I'm from, it's a little different, where the Cajun, the Cajuns, which were originally from Nova Scotia, kind of where they originated from. 95 00:08:58,91.53607382 --> 00:09:00,111.53607382 So, Mardi Gras was. 96 00:09:01,231.53607382 --> 00:09:04,938.16940715 Called Courier de Mardi Gras, which just means Mardi Gras Run. 97 00:09:04,968.16940715 --> 00:09:06,448.16940715 And I probably did not say that right. 98 00:09:06,858.16940715 --> 00:09:26,163.16840715 The Mardi Gras run, basically participants would get on horseback and, they would, or wagons, or, by foot or whatever, and they would go from farm to farm and collect ingredients for a big communal gumbo. 99 00:09:27,3.16840715 --> 00:09:33,453.16840715 And they would dress in like colorful costumes and masks and maybe a big hat, like cone shaped type hat. 100 00:09:34,43.16840715 --> 00:09:42,673.16840715 And, they would get the ingredients and then, the capitan, which is the, the captain of the parade would, release chickens. 101 00:09:42,743.16840715 --> 00:09:47,673.16840715 And of course, these people had been, you know, having fun, having. 102 00:09:48,753.16840715 --> 00:10:11,43.16740715 I am having, uh, fun and having a drink or two or more, and so it was quite the comedy of them trying to chase those chickens and catch them for the gumbo, because the main ingredient for gumbo in South Louisiana is chicken, as well as sausage. 103 00:10:11,53.16740715 --> 00:10:20,843.16740715 That is kind of where, the differences between the two kind of celebrations of carnival season and what they look like. 104 00:10:21,263.16740715 --> 00:10:26,673.16740715 And the Mardi Gras run still takes place in a lot of the little towns around Lafayette, even today. 105 00:10:26,963.16740715 --> 00:10:37,483.16740715 Church Point, Eunice, Mamou, they, they still do this where the individuals, the participants, they dress up in the costumes and they kind of go around. 106 00:10:38,733.16740715 --> 00:10:42,453.16740715 Music associated with it, maybe a band on a trailer type stuff. 107 00:10:43,543.16740715 --> 00:10:48,813.16740715 And they go around and, to get ingredients and beg for the ingredients for this, the gumbo. 108 00:10:48,903.16740715 --> 00:10:54,493.16740715 They still do it the traditional way, just to kind of pay tribute to where the Mardi Gras originated. 109 00:10:54,543.16740715 --> 00:11:07,668.16740715 However, for those of you that do not know, Mardi Gras Didn't even though it's the biggest one of the biggest, if not the biggest thing in Louisiana celebration wise. 110 00:11:09,78.16740715 --> 00:11:13,458.16740715 Mardi Gras actually did not originate in Louisiana. 111 00:11:13,458.26740715 --> 00:11:15,308.16740715 It's a big debate. 112 00:11:15,508.16740715 --> 00:11:17,168.16740715 So it's a big debate. 113 00:11:18,308.16740715 --> 00:11:23,648.16640715 History will say that actually Mardi Gras started in Mobile, Alabama. 114 00:11:24,498.16640715 --> 00:11:26,268.16640715 Mobile, Alabama of all places. 115 00:11:27,58.16740715 --> 00:11:36,38.16640715 And so while Mardi Gras is huge in Louisiana and New Orleans and as far as I'm concerned, they do it like no other. 116 00:11:36,748.16740715 --> 00:11:38,868.16740715 it actually originated in Mobile, Alabama. 117 00:11:39,58.16740715 --> 00:11:39,278.16740715 Yeah. 118 00:11:39,508.16640715 --> 00:11:40,878.16640715 So, and then. 119 00:11:41,38.16740715 --> 00:11:44,708.16740715 from Mobile, Alabama to Bandera, Texas. 120 00:11:44,778.16740715 --> 00:11:45,238.16740715 Yes. 121 00:11:45,518.16740715 --> 00:12:06,443.06740715 Right? Because, what the other thing, we haven't really divulged on this is that I went to high school and some of my college in Mobile, so I lived there for eight years, so I've been able to experience Mardi Gras in Mobile, in Lafayette, in Mamou. 122 00:12:06,713.16740715 --> 00:12:12,413.16740715 Even in Corpus, they have Barefoot Mardi Gras, um, and then, this past weekend in Bandera, Texas. 123 00:12:13,123.16740715 --> 00:12:17,493.16640715 So, that's been really, really neat to, see how everybody does it. 124 00:12:19,243.16740715 --> 00:12:24,388.09240715 what else do we want to talk about? Yeah. 125 00:12:24,388.09240715 --> 00:12:37,478.16740715 So, how do you think the parade, just the parade, measured up, Alan? To Mardi Gras, uh, I thought it was I thought it was outstanding. 126 00:12:37,528.16740715 --> 00:12:54,448.16740715 They had a little over a hundred floats in this parade Which is a as far as I'm concerned is a relatively large parade, especially for Bandera right with a population of 937 there was 937 just on the floats alone. 127 00:12:54,828.16740715 --> 00:13:13,263.06740715 Yeah, so I don't even know where all these people came from But 937, there was easily the entire street, I would have to say, 8 to 10, 000 people, the weather was not great. 128 00:13:13,693.06740715 --> 00:13:27,183.06740715 it was cold, cloudy, it was 44, maybe a light rain every now and then, but it was manageable, but not, the thing is, this town of 937 swelled to over 10, 000 people. 129 00:13:27,663.06740715 --> 00:13:51,594.73407382 It just goes to show you that they do put on a good party and people have recognized that over the years, there was RV stacked up and down the road where people were, brought came in for the weekend or for even for the week and just flooded Bandera supporting the local community, that Mardi Gras actually supports, a hundred percent. 130 00:13:52,244.73407382 --> 00:13:59,974.73407382 Of the proceeds go to their annual rodeo that Bandera puts on and so it's some kind of rodeo association. 131 00:14:00,804.73307382 --> 00:14:10,454.73307382 And from what I can see, they have funding for a long time because there was a lot of money pumped into that local community, for three days including ours. 132 00:14:11,114.73307382 --> 00:14:22,784.73207382 Lots of RVers just everywhere and they had their golf carts and stuff like that, because there are quite a few RV parks very close to the center of town. 133 00:14:22,864.73207382 --> 00:14:24,314.73307382 I'm going to stop for just a minute. 134 00:14:24,494.73307382 --> 00:14:29,144.73307382 I am sautéing bell pepper, onion, and celery. 135 00:14:30,4.73307382 --> 00:14:32,744.73307382 The, what is that called? Holy Trinity. 136 00:14:32,784.73307382 --> 00:14:32,914.73307382 Yes. 137 00:14:34,364.73307382 --> 00:14:38,234.73307382 but you can't have the Holy Trinity in my opinion without garlic. 138 00:14:38,514.73207382 --> 00:14:39,854.73307382 So the garlic's in here too. 139 00:14:40,584.73307382 --> 00:14:53,4.73257382 And, I've seasoned it up quite a bit and I am going to, dump these crawfish tails back in here and simmer this. 140 00:14:53,199.73257382 --> 00:14:54,409.73257382 So it can cook down. 141 00:14:56,429.73257382 --> 00:14:56,849.73257382 Okay. 142 00:14:57,679.73257382 --> 00:15:02,203.16490715 My personal opinion is I also think they did a really good job. 143 00:15:03,959.73157382 --> 00:15:05,759.73057382 also adding water and corn starch. 144 00:15:07,119.73157382 --> 00:15:09,636.39824049 I'm using the Tony Chachere's recipe. 145 00:15:09,636.39824049 --> 00:15:10,966.39824049 I don't have my recipe book. 146 00:15:11,586.39824049 --> 00:15:13,986.39824049 And I do have Tony Chachere's recipe book. 147 00:15:13,986.39824049 --> 00:15:14,796.39824049 There's a lot of cornstarch in there. 148 00:15:14,796.49824049 --> 00:15:19,656.39724049 Yeah, and so I had to look it up and I'm like, wait a minute, this isn't how I do this. 149 00:15:20,186.39724049 --> 00:15:22,456.39824049 And cause I don't make this often, so I need a recipe. 150 00:15:23,116.39824049 --> 00:15:25,196.39824049 And it's really easy, you really don't need a recipe. 151 00:15:25,456.39724049 --> 00:15:26,66.39724049 But, I do. 152 00:15:26,386.39824049 --> 00:15:28,286.39824049 So I finally was like, oh no, this is ridiculous. 153 00:15:28,296.39824049 --> 00:15:30,516.39824049 So I, I googled the Tony Chachere's one. 154 00:15:30,516.39824049 --> 00:15:32,56.39824049 I'm like, uh huh, this is. 155 00:15:32,531.39824049 --> 00:15:34,1.39824049 This is what I'm used to making. 156 00:15:34,21.39824049 --> 00:15:44,571.39824049 So yes, there are other recipes with tomato sauce and Red bell peppers and chicken stock or our seafood stock and all that. 157 00:15:44,701.39724049 --> 00:15:46,271.39824049 I don't know I don't know how to make that. 158 00:15:46,401.39824049 --> 00:15:57,21.39824049 I just know how to make it the Tony Chachere way anyway Okay, so we're gonna let this simmer And we're going to go back to talking about the parade. 159 00:15:58,151.39824049 --> 00:16:00,541.39824049 I felt like, they did an excellent job. 160 00:16:01,91.39824049 --> 00:16:03,581.39924049 Two things though that surprised me. 161 00:16:04,141.39924049 --> 00:16:06,721.39924049 And one you don't know about because I just thought about it today. 162 00:16:07,181.39824049 --> 00:16:17,796.39924049 But the biggest one was when you think about Mardi Gras and you think about floats, you really have that New Orleans float in mind, the very elaborate ones. 163 00:16:17,796.39924049 --> 00:16:19,76.39924049 They have tiers. 164 00:16:19,486.39924049 --> 00:16:22,286.39924049 There's beautiful costumes. 165 00:16:22,376.39924049 --> 00:16:24,566.39924049 Sometimes the court is on them. 166 00:16:24,586.39924049 --> 00:16:27,96.39924049 They have, all these beautiful dresses. 167 00:16:27,656.39924049 --> 00:16:31,666.39924049 and so you ain't getting that in Bandera That's not how it is there. 168 00:16:31,696.39924049 --> 00:16:34,656.39924049 No, but with all that said, all that aside. 169 00:16:35,611.39924049 --> 00:16:36,651.39924049 It was still excellent. 170 00:16:36,761.39924049 --> 00:16:37,141.29924049 Oh, it was. 171 00:16:37,141.39924049 --> 00:16:38,91.39924049 It was still excellent. 172 00:16:38,131.39924049 --> 00:16:44,421.3992405 So anybody that, is in Bandera or around here, having to see this, we're not bashing at all. 173 00:16:44,451.3992405 --> 00:16:45,161.3992405 Oh, no, no. 174 00:16:45,771.3992405 --> 00:16:49,561.3992405 Y'all did an outstanding job and, I just want to throw that out there. 175 00:16:49,611.3992405 --> 00:16:57,276.3992405 In South Louisiana, New Orleans, Mobile, they have Mardi Gras associations. 176 00:16:57,276.3992405 --> 00:16:58,336.3992405 They're called crews. 177 00:16:58,726.3992405 --> 00:17:10,966.3992405 And so, each association, especially in Mobile and New Orleans, they have two weeks of parades every night, just about every night, leading up to Mardi Gras Day. 178 00:17:11,756.3992405 --> 00:17:14,776.3992405 Lafayette has a couple parades. 179 00:17:14,826.3992405 --> 00:17:18,496.3982405 They take a little break and then, a few days leading up, they have parades every night. 180 00:17:18,906.3992405 --> 00:17:27,86.4002405 And those crews They work all year, this association, they work together to develop the floats for the parade, the theme, that kind of thing. 181 00:17:27,906.4002405 --> 00:17:34,396.4002405 Normally, each crew has a, and this is crew spelled K R E W E. 182 00:17:35,26.4002405 --> 00:17:36,526.3992405 Okay, a crew, Mardi Gras crew. 183 00:17:37,56.3992405 --> 00:17:44,741.4002405 They usually have someone that's named the king or queen or, They have a name for it or whatever. 184 00:17:44,741.4002405 --> 00:17:47,651.4002405 That's the leader for the year So this is a little different. 185 00:17:47,651.4002405 --> 00:17:50,991.4012405 This is more like a hometown, Mardi Gras parade. 186 00:17:51,51.4012405 --> 00:17:56,561.4012405 So the other thing I realized that was honestly was missing. 187 00:17:56,601.4002405 --> 00:18:00,271.4012405 The one thing was missing the band. 188 00:18:00,991.4012405 --> 00:18:04,341.4012405 The high school bands are always involved in the Mardi Gras parades. 189 00:18:04,451.4012405 --> 00:18:07,101.4012405 In Mobile, in Lafayette, I mean, always. 190 00:18:07,331.4012405 --> 00:18:09,701.4012405 Like you would see at the Rose Parade or whatever. 191 00:18:10,751.4012405 --> 00:18:13,381.4012405 You know what? There's no marching band. 192 00:18:14,341.4012405 --> 00:18:24,1.4012405 Yeah, that's Or, like in South, like in New Orleans, they walk around, play the trumpet, play all kinds of the, instruments and stuff, and they walk in the parade or whatever. 193 00:18:24,231.4012405 --> 00:18:29,851.4012405 And I think that's the one thing That's missing, that I was used to in, the other places. 194 00:18:29,851.4012405 --> 00:18:31,491.4012405 Different area, different things. 195 00:18:31,541.4012405 --> 00:18:31,891.4012405 Yeah. 196 00:18:32,191.4012405 --> 00:18:40,311.4012405 But, one of the best, it's funny because one of the best floats, decorated wise, was one from Louisiana. 197 00:18:40,321.4012405 --> 00:18:41,801.4012405 It was from Crowley, Louisiana. 198 00:18:41,901.4012405 --> 00:18:42,741.4012405 But, yeah. 199 00:18:43,101.4012405 --> 00:18:44,31.4012405 Excellent job. 200 00:18:44,106.5012405 --> 00:19:03,36.4012405 It was easy to get to, we just happened to park at the museum, the Frontier Museum here in Bandera, or there in Bandera, and we just walked a couple blocks, we were right At the courthouse, they had someone announcing each of the floats to talk about who they were. 201 00:19:03,96.4012405 --> 00:19:04,806.4012405 That was kind of interesting. 202 00:19:05,206.4012405 --> 00:19:07,926.4007405 There was a lot of local businesses in the parade. 203 00:19:08,26.4007405 --> 00:19:12,756.4012405 I think they probably use it as their, good advertising for people who come there. 204 00:19:13,46.4012405 --> 00:19:15,806.4012405 And it was family friendly. 205 00:19:16,386.4012405 --> 00:19:21,546.4012405 There was lots of beads, the balloons, footballs. 206 00:19:22,101.4012405 --> 00:19:30,451.4012405 candy, all kinds of things thrown, and the float from Crowley was the one that threw the moon pies. 207 00:19:31,861.4012405 --> 00:19:42,301.4012405 And so that is something I will say I was not used to seeing moon pies thrown at Mardi Gras parades until we, moved to Mobile and started going to the Mardi Gras parades there. 208 00:19:44,81.4012405 --> 00:19:48,201.4012405 And, I don't know, I just, I don't think, I don't think I'd be sitting on that sink like that. 209 00:19:48,931.4012405 --> 00:19:50,21.4012405 I, I would not. 210 00:19:50,31.4012405 --> 00:19:50,771.4012405 It's fine. 211 00:19:51,591.4012405 --> 00:19:52,11.4012405 Okay. 212 00:19:53,101.4012405 --> 00:19:55,211.4022405 There was even moon pies, which was really cool. 213 00:19:55,311.4022405 --> 00:19:56,141.4022405 It's a really cool thing. 214 00:19:56,161.4022405 --> 00:20:07,661.4022405 After the parade, we walked down to, the 11th Street Cowboy Bar and Grill is who puts this whole thing on, or they host it, and that's where all the bands were at. 215 00:20:07,931.4012405 --> 00:20:09,681.4022405 They had bands on Friday nights. 216 00:20:10,41.4022405 --> 00:20:13,41.4022405 All day Saturday and even on Sunday a little bit. 217 00:20:15,131.4022405 --> 00:20:16,111.4022405 No, I take that back. 218 00:20:16,481.4022405 --> 00:20:19,971.4022405 Thursday night, Friday night, and all day Saturday. 219 00:20:20,301.4022405 --> 00:20:21,81.4022405 not on Sunday. 220 00:20:21,501.4022405 --> 00:20:24,691.4017405 And, that is also where the gumbo cook off was at. 221 00:20:24,971.4007405 --> 00:20:27,411.4017405 There was, I don't know, we don't even know how many. 222 00:20:27,851.4017405 --> 00:20:28,411.4017405 I would say at least. 223 00:20:28,411.4017405 --> 00:20:29,321.4017405 Fifteen, twenty. 224 00:20:29,381.4017405 --> 00:20:32,16.3017405 Fifteen to twenty teams that were in the. 225 00:20:32,456.4017405 --> 00:20:33,206.4017405 Gumbo cook off. 226 00:20:33,276.4017405 --> 00:20:58,306.4007405 And then, so the gumbo cook off was actually, right across the street and on that street and then you walked in, these swinging Western doors, like you're walking into a saloon, like you're walking into an old timey saloon and, and then you just walk into this holy grail of, Just awesomeness. 227 00:20:58,306.4007405 --> 00:21:09,276.4007405 The setting of this place, was just absolutely amazing is a decked area, with huge oak trees growing through it. 228 00:21:09,746.3997405 --> 00:21:11,386.4007405 It's completely fenced off. 229 00:21:11,416.4007405 --> 00:21:13,116.4007405 You cannot see the road. 230 00:21:13,626.4007405 --> 00:21:15,584.5674072 They have a big, stage. 231 00:21:15,584.6674072 --> 00:21:19,444.6674072 Big, huge stage to accommodate almost any kind of band. 232 00:21:20,24.6674072 --> 00:21:45,44.6674072 they you know, I made a comment that, you know, with the bands that were there and the music that they were playing, that if someone was to have dropped you off from a helicopter with a blindfold on and dropped you right in the middle of that venue there was no way you would have known that you were in Bandera, Texas. 233 00:21:45,74.6674072 --> 00:21:51,624.6674072 That's how good of a show and festival that they actually put on. 234 00:21:52,224.6674072 --> 00:21:55,274.6674072 Definitely making plans for going back next year. 235 00:21:55,284.6684072 --> 00:21:56,374.6674072 Okay, that was going to be my question. 236 00:21:56,874.6674072 --> 00:21:57,734.6674072 Yeah, definitely making plans. 237 00:21:57,734.7674072 --> 00:22:02,414.6674072 Are we going to do this again next year? Yeah, definitely making plans for going back next year. 238 00:22:02,424.6674072 --> 00:22:03,874.6674072 Going to get, our own little crew. 239 00:22:04,644.6674072 --> 00:22:07,534.6674072 together and, make a weekend out of it. 240 00:22:08,94.6674072 --> 00:22:09,504.6674072 and just, embrace it. 241 00:22:09,844.6674072 --> 00:22:22,664.6674072 But really the whole point of this segment is to talk about and go over, embracing being where you're at. 242 00:22:22,934.6674072 --> 00:22:29,664.6674072 Regardless of whether that is on a lake, or on a river or whatever. 243 00:22:30,194.6674072 --> 00:22:42,4.6674072 Supporting the community that you are in and around it's a good experience for you, because you get to see different things, kind of mom and pop ish type stuff. 244 00:22:42,594.6664072 --> 00:22:48,594.6684072 But at the end of the day, it's also equally, if not more important to those local businesses. 245 00:22:48,824.6684072 --> 00:22:53,784.6674072 They rely so much on people like us that, travel around. 246 00:22:54,694.6684072 --> 00:22:57,734.6684072 Spending their money to support them and whatnot. 247 00:22:57,734.6684072 --> 00:23:10,154.6684072 So really, that's the whole gist of the segment today is to talk about just that, right? And, mentioned it earlier about how much money probably got pumped into. 248 00:23:10,794.6694072 --> 00:23:30,594.6704072 That Bandera Rodeo Association and economy, I wish I knew the dollar amount, but because I, it was hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars that went into that Bandera, city council or whatever you want to call it, and for a town that size, that's huge money for them. 249 00:23:30,684.6704072 --> 00:23:32,214.6704072 Huge, huge money for them. 250 00:23:32,694.6704072 --> 00:23:40,814.6704072 so regardless of where you're at, whether it's at a national park or, a small town, get out and support them. 251 00:23:40,894.6694072 --> 00:23:44,724.6679072 they really rely on that stuff and it's important, to them. 252 00:23:44,724.6679072 --> 00:23:46,994.6689072 It's enriching to you and your family. 253 00:23:47,454.6689072 --> 00:23:57,874.6689072 And I would say if you're interested or you want to do Mardi Gras in South Louisiana, Check out, Lafayette Parish Tourism, Acadia Parish Tourism. 254 00:23:58,274.6689072 --> 00:24:06,314.6689072 they have a listing of all the parades, festivals, and everything that goes on around the Mardi Gras season. 255 00:24:06,754.6689072 --> 00:24:09,654.6684072 And, tons of RV parks and stuff around the area. 256 00:24:09,704.7684072 --> 00:24:14,204.7684072 Check out that and they're all family friendly, even the ones in Mobile. 257 00:24:14,724.7684072 --> 00:24:24,564.7669072 I know New Orleans can get a little crazy, but definitely those other places have fun, family friendly Mardi Gras parades. 258 00:24:24,844.7679072 --> 00:24:32,34.7669072 And like I said, the Barefoot Mardi Gras and on Padre Island and Corpus, it's a good time. 259 00:24:32,44.7679072 --> 00:24:34,254.7679072 People get out on, they do it on the beach. 260 00:24:34,854.7679072 --> 00:24:36,324.7679072 They decorate their golf carts. 261 00:24:36,394.7679072 --> 00:24:37,294.7679072 It's a good fun time. 262 00:24:37,324.7679072 --> 00:24:42,164.7679072 And it is also a fundraiser for a school there on the island. 263 00:24:42,164.7679072 --> 00:24:50,94.7669072 So It most of this stuff does go back into the community at some way shape form or fashion. 264 00:24:50,104.7669072 --> 00:24:59,314.7659072 So But I wanted to also touch on the food because we're not just about the Travel remember we're about the flavors too. 265 00:24:59,714.7659072 --> 00:25:06,314.7669072 And so Some of the top, I say the top three foods for Mardi Gras foods. 266 00:25:06,554.7669072 --> 00:25:07,484.7669072 Number one, gumbo. 267 00:25:09,294.7669072 --> 00:25:11,224.7659072 Just like Bandera had the gumbo cook off. 268 00:25:11,254.7669072 --> 00:25:12,544.7669072 That's a big thing that goes on. 269 00:25:13,84.7669072 --> 00:25:16,434.7679072 The other one, I don't know, it might even be bigger, is king cake. 270 00:25:17,634.7659072 --> 00:25:20,724.7669072 And if you've never had king cake, It's done two different ways. 271 00:25:21,374.7669072 --> 00:25:32,794.7669072 The way that I like and the way that I'm used to is, it was, it's the breading, it's a cake, made out of a leftover donut dough. 272 00:25:33,364.7669072 --> 00:25:42,484.7669072 And then you can get them plain or you can get them stuffed with like Bavarian cream or strawberry or lemon or chocolate, that kind of stuff. 273 00:25:42,774.7669072 --> 00:25:45,144.7669072 Then it's got the like cream cheese icing over it. 274 00:25:45,634.7669072 --> 00:25:46,224.7669072 That kind of thing. 275 00:25:46,294.7669072 --> 00:25:54,810.4335738 And then the other way that it's, I've seen it made is it's like a cinnamon roll And then still with the cream cheese or icing on top. 276 00:25:55,960.4335738 --> 00:26:02,760.4315738 And then of course the, king cake comes with a little baby and that's inserted into the cake. 277 00:26:02,790.4325738 --> 00:26:11,720.4325738 And whoever ends up with that slice or piece of the cake that has the baby in it, you're on deck to bring the king cake next year. 278 00:26:12,120.4325738 --> 00:26:12,850.4325738 That's the rule. 279 00:26:12,860.4325738 --> 00:26:19,920.4325738 The other thing that's real popular is, With, around Mardi Gras, is it the kickoff for crawfish season. 280 00:26:20,240.4325738 --> 00:26:22,610.4325738 And of course that's very big in South Louisiana. 281 00:26:23,30.4325738 --> 00:26:26,640.4315738 This gets them going and gets the crawfish season going. 282 00:26:26,890.4325738 --> 00:26:32,100.4315738 And that pretty much lasts until the first, maybe the middle of May. 283 00:26:32,580.4315738 --> 00:26:35,540.4315738 And so that leads all the way into Easter. 284 00:26:36,60.4325738 --> 00:26:38,210.4325738 And through the Lent season and all of that. 285 00:26:38,290.4325738 --> 00:26:43,700.4325738 That was the other thing I wanted to just talk about, were the foods that were associated around. 286 00:26:43,900.4325738 --> 00:26:47,840.4325738 And of course, crawfish etouffee, which is what we're cooking today. 287 00:26:48,680.4325738 --> 00:26:55,290.4825738 Was there anything else that we wanted to touch on? No, kind of some off topic, things. 288 00:26:55,770.4825738 --> 00:27:13,715.5825738 We had As we've talked about the, we talked about the fixes that we've had to go through on this unit and, we finally got the furnace fix and we thought, man, that's going to be great. 289 00:27:13,765.5835738 --> 00:27:17,775.5835738 We talked about the pipes freezing and, once we get the furnace. 290 00:27:18,665.5835738 --> 00:27:21,875.5835738 going, then we won't have that problem anymore. 291 00:27:22,715.5835738 --> 00:27:26,55.5835738 Well, not so much. 292 00:27:26,105.5835738 --> 00:27:40,995.5835738 We had a couple of days, mornings, nights, that were dipped down into 19, 18, 17 range, and sure enough, frozen pipes, and that's with the furnace running. 293 00:27:41,555.5835738 --> 00:27:45,325.5825738 I gotta get under there when we have some nicer weather. 294 00:27:46,245.5835738 --> 00:28:00,225.5825738 To pull those panels off and find out what is lacking under there in regards to insulation and get that fixed for the next cold season. 295 00:28:00,225.6825738 --> 00:28:10,225.5825738 I think we're pretty much going to start coming out of our winter here in South Texas and so maybe one or two more freezes. 296 00:28:10,265.5825738 --> 00:28:11,395.5835738 I doubt it. 297 00:28:11,445.5825738 --> 00:28:13,275.5835738 It's going to get pretty close to it. 298 00:28:13,870.5835738 --> 00:28:21,510.5845738 But I don't believe it's going to be any, pipe freezing, taking showers at night, planning ahead, thinking outside the box. 299 00:28:21,510.5845738 --> 00:28:23,140.5845738 Again, we've talked about that before. 300 00:28:23,140.5845738 --> 00:28:26,80.5845738 You got to think a little bit differently in an RV. 301 00:28:26,300.5835738 --> 00:28:34,310.5845738 The other thing that, is really cool and it's completely off topic, but we've, we've got two wiener dogs. 302 00:28:34,310.5845738 --> 00:28:35,720.5835738 We've talked about them before. 303 00:28:36,240.5845738 --> 00:28:46,720.5845738 And, here in RV Park, and we had another couple that is from Idaho that pulled in, and they had a beagle. 304 00:28:47,310.5845738 --> 00:28:50,570.5845738 And, that dog was amazing. 305 00:28:50,610.5835738 --> 00:28:52,110.5845738 He was trained amazing. 306 00:28:52,560.5835738 --> 00:28:53,970.5850738 He was, he was just a good dog. 307 00:28:54,20.5850738 --> 00:28:57,550.5850738 And, one of the things that they used was a collar. 308 00:28:57,850.5850738 --> 00:28:59,200.5850738 it's actually a shock collar. 309 00:28:59,490.5850738 --> 00:29:00,190.5850738 The Garmin. 310 00:29:00,210.5850738 --> 00:29:24,185.6870738 The Garmin brand, and If that dog, went off, away from them at any, that they didn't feel comfortable with, they would just, they would hit the beeping because it actually has three settings on it, a beeping, a vibration and a shocking mechanism for training purposes and they would just hit the beeper and he'd come right back. 311 00:29:24,245.6870738 --> 00:29:28,475.6870738 So I wanted to give a plug to our new system. 312 00:29:29,295.6870738 --> 00:29:31,175.5870738 it's called Jugbo. 313 00:29:31,175.6870738 --> 00:29:32,715.6870738 It comes with a remote. 314 00:29:33,205.6870738 --> 00:29:35,775.6870738 And this system came with two collars. 315 00:29:36,175.6860738 --> 00:29:39,45.6860738 And we started with our dogs, training them. 316 00:29:39,695.6860738 --> 00:29:42,965.5870738 And it also has the three settings on it. 317 00:29:44,475.6870738 --> 00:29:48,135.6870738 And we have yet to use the shocking mechanism. 318 00:29:48,155.6870738 --> 00:29:56,885.6870738 All we had to do is just All we've had to do is use the beeping sound and that is enough for them to come back and stay at my feet. 319 00:29:57,555.6860738 --> 00:30:05,655.6860738 I've been going every day after I get home and take them for a walk off leash in the RV park. 320 00:30:06,175.6860738 --> 00:30:08,525.6860738 Well, not in the main RV park. 321 00:30:08,545.6860738 --> 00:30:16,595.6860738 And down in a section that's But eventually we'll get there and and it's just been great. 322 00:30:16,645.6860738 --> 00:30:21,815.6860738 I cannot believe the reaction that we're getting from older dogs. 323 00:30:21,875.6860738 --> 00:30:24,285.6860738 They always say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. 324 00:30:25,65.6850738 --> 00:30:28,475.6850738 That's not true because these things have been amazing so far. 325 00:30:28,775.6850738 --> 00:30:32,745.6860738 But anyway, I wanted to give that plug out to that, this system that we bought. 326 00:30:32,795.6860738 --> 00:30:37,45.5860738 I think we're Pretty much wrap, right? Yeah. 327 00:30:37,425.5860738 --> 00:30:48,65.5860738 I'm just going to make rice and, this is my favorite, the Cajun Country Rice, or Mahatma, but this one's my favorite, so if you can find it, you can get it. 328 00:30:49,615.5860738 --> 00:30:54,955.4860738 Okay, yeah, I'm just getting the water boiling, because you can't have Crawfish Etouffee without Rice. 329 00:30:54,975.6860738 --> 00:31:02,28.1717925 Rice And just like that. 330 00:31:03,238.1717925 --> 00:31:05,718.1717925 Another journey comes to a close on 99 Adventures. 331 00:31:06,242.5086713 --> 00:31:08,202.5086713 So join us in a toast. 332 00:31:09,232.5086713 --> 00:31:13,82.5086713 Here's to RV life, tasty meals, and adventures still to come. 333 00:31:14,972.5086713 --> 00:31:15,2.5086713 Peace. 334 00:31:17,532.5086713 --> 00:31:18,982.5086713 Enjoy your next adventure. 335 00:31:19,997.5086713 --> 00:31:20,867.5086713 And bon appetit.