October 31 - Halloween
413 miles - 35mpg
We started the day at the Honda dealer for an oil change. Time to take care of business after so many miles on the road, our oil is DOA...(within 1.5 miles of our hotel)....then on to Mobile, Alabama. With South Carolina and Georgia already under our belts, Alabama is the third Deep South state to be visited on our road trip - the heart of the Confederacy, where the Civil War is still the War of Northern Aggression. Seems that the Union troops at Fort Sumter were being bombarded by love and kisses by those South Carolina boys.
Looks like a band of smog hovering over the city. But no one from Sacramento should point fingers.
. Mobile was the original capital of France's Louisiana Territory. New Orleans was not founded until 1718, 15 years after Mobile. Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Mobile in 1703. When the Capital was transferred to New Orleans (in part for better hurricane protection), Mardi Gras moved also.
The Mobile Carnival Museum is a history museum that chronicles over 300 years of Carnival and Mardi Gras. The museum is housed in the historic Bernstein-Bush mansion on Government Street in downtown Mobile. Carnival, or Mardi Gras, was and always has been a really big deal in Mobile.
We visited Mardi Gras World in New Orleans several years ago and it's main claim to fame is 400,000 square feet devoted to parade floats - completed floats, floats under construction and the like. The Mobile museum is totally different.
These are the only floats in the museum. The one on the left is actually the back and front of what was originally a 100 foot dragon.
Today there are 70 mystic (masked) societies involved in Carnival activities, about half of which put on parades each year over the weeks that Mardi Gras in Mobile takes place. "OOM" is the oldest of these mystic societies.
Fire trucks became involved in parades at a time when they were pulled by horses. Parades were lighted by people carrying large natural gas lanterns with open flames. A bit dangerous in proximity to floats made of paper products. Today, when parade goers see the fire truck come into view it signals the end of the parade, nothing coming behind it.
The Mardi Gras queen circa 1964.
When chosen to be King or Queen, they design and pay for their own suit, gown, and long cape. It was evident that lots of money is involved and a lineage of past Kings/Queens in the family. The man shown was our docent - wonderful presenter and all kinds of arcane details to relate. The hour and a half zipped by. And it was " take all the photos you want, please!" Snooty museums take note.
There are rooms full of the most beautiful finery in pristine condition. These are not some moth eaten, side show stuff. The cost runs tens of thousands of dollars. While anyone can join a mystic society, as in gathering of humans there is the 99% and the 1%.
Photos don't do these justice, as they say. The materials, detailing and workmanship are exquisite. Whether for men or women, over the top.
Overwhelming.
It was a "White" thing until 1934 when African Americans formed their own thing. They remain separate, but comingle at each other's balls, parties and high jinks.
Hanging from the ceiling were a dozen umbrellas that women carried to watch the parade - many costing upwards to $1,000. Gotta keep up with the Joneses.
This museum was definitely not put together on the cheap. It has the financial support of some very influential locals. All of those past kings, queens, ladies in waiting and other poobahs have a certain self interest. To them, that rubbishy New Orleans Mardi Gras is held by a bunch of Johnny Come Latelies.
Donald Trump eat your heart out.
Two elaborate posters for past events.
That masked dude was bad enough - but now, the FINAL humiliation. Still, he's a guy so why not enjoy the view?
We bought a box of Moon Pies ($2 for 12 mini pies) to try tonight. The people riding on the floats throw the moon pies and beads to people on the sidewalks as they pass by. They used to throw boxes of Cracker Jacks but realized that the boxes might be sharp. That's when they switched to moon pies and go through about 3 million every year.
Our cashier was a Madrid Gras Queen in 1955. She said that all the queens get together for lunch every year. Quite a refined lady. We didn't gather she needed the job. Social register, anyone?
Our next stop- Montgomery, Alabama, a city with a history, as they say. But for devotees of the War of Northern Aggression, Montgomery was the first capital of the Confederacy from February thru May, 1861. It was from here that the Articles of Confederation were approved and issued. It was after hostilities commenced that the capital moved to Richmond.
Jefferson Davis lived here - everyone needs a home. Davis was positive that England, desperate to keep the cotton coming, would recognize the Confederacy and join it in fighting the U.S. Not the worst plan, but it transpired that no other nation, in particular England, ever recognized the Confederacy as a nation unto its own rights.
Norm passed on going inside the house to face the inevitable docent. Also, in today's parlance, Davis was a loser and no Trump tours the home of a loser.
Notice, not the civil "war" heritage trail. This sign in front of the Davis White House.
The state Capitol sits serenely, recalling how for one brief, shining, heady moment in time it was the Capitol of the entire Confederacy. Pam checks out the statue in front of the flagpole flying the Stars and Stripes. The statue honors police officers.
If history is written by the winners......
The archives building next to the Davis White House looks like IT should have been the residence. Take THAT Mr. Lincoln!
Our time zone changed again crossing in to Georgia.
We arrived at our hotel in Atlanta at 9pm at 74 degrees.
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