LLC WICHITA, KANSAS ardi Gra M s
Horseshoe Casino
FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015
Premium Arrow Tour Bus
City of BEGIN!Honolulu YOUR VACATION HERE!
Mardi Gras Parade Ft Worth Stockyards
Snorkeling L’Auberge Hotel
It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans, “The Big Easy”, and you’re right in the middle of the revelers! It has been called the “greatest free party on earth” and you’ve been invited! See at least four parades, with hundreds of floats. Catch the beads and enjoy the excitement! Oak Alley In addition to the excitement of Mardi Gras, Gardens experience the history of the Antebellum South with a tour of Oak Alley Plantation, and the history of the Wild West at the Ft. Worth Stockyards and the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.
ardi Gra M s
FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015 Mardi Gras Mask
BONUS! LLC Fun & Games WICHITA, KANSAS on the Bus WEST VIRGINIA
MISSOURI Trip Includes: Wichita ► Baton Rouge, LA & the KANSAS KENTUCKY L’Auberge Casino & Hotel ► New Orleans City Tour TENNESSEE ► French Quarter & Bourbon Duncan ARKANSAS Street OKLAHOMA SOUTH Little Rock CAROLINA ► Historic Trolleys ► Grandstand Seating for Fat Tuesday Parades MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA GEORGIA ► Oak Alley Plantation Ft. Worth Bossier City TEXAS ► Bossier City, LA & Horseshoe LOUISIANA Casino ► Ft. Worth, TX Stockyards & Baton Rouge FLORIDA Billy Bob’s Over Texas Oak Alley New Orleans ► Six Meals and All Hotels Gulf of Mexico ► Refreshments on the Bus
Page 2 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 LLC WICHITA, KANSAS History of Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, and is the last day for Catholics to indulge (or overindulge) before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. The holiday has been celebrated in Europe since the Middle Ages. In New Orleans, the holiday can be traced to 1699, before the city even existed, when two French explorers set up camp on the Mississippi River. The location changed several times as the location of the French Capital changed (New Orleans, to Mobile, Alabama, to Biloxi, Mississippi) before settling back in New Orleans.
Masked balls, a highly-anticipated part of New Orleans Mardi Gras, were banned while the Spanish ruled Louisiana, and weren’t reinstated until 1823.
The first parades started with a group of costumed revelers Beaded Tree in 1837. In 1857 the first krewes were formed. These krewes established several Mardi Gras traditions by forming secret Carnival societies, choosing a mythological name- sake, themed parades, and tableau balls.
The King of Carnival Rex (created by krewe Rex Organiza- tion) made his first appearance in 1872 and soon became CHOICES! Which parades the international symbol of Mardi Gras. Rex presented the will you watch? first organized daytime parade, the Carnival colors (purple, green and gold), its flag, and the anthem “If Ever I Cease to Love”. Mardi Gras Revelers The krewe of Proteus debuted in 1882 with a glittering parade themed on Egyptian Mythology. The original march- ing band club, The Jefferson City Buzzards, was formed in 1890. Other important groups include the Original Illinois Club (the first black group) started in 1894; and Les Myster- ieuses (the first female group) was founded in 1896; Zulu in 1916 (one of the most beloved) who has its own King whose been known to mock Rex.
Mardi Gras krewes today developed from private social clubs with restrictive membership policies. Since all of these parade organizations are completely funded by their mem- bers, New Orleanians call it the “Greatest Free Show on Earth”!
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 3 Bacchus Parade
History in Mardi Gras Challenges in the first half of the 20th century included World Wars, Prohibition and the Great Depression. However, the celebrations continued to grow and received internation- al publicity when the Duke and Duchess of Windsor attended the 1950 Cromus Ball, where they bowed to the make-be- lieve monarch Rex.
In the late 1960’s a new krewe, Bacchus, wanted to make Mardi Gras more accessible to visitors. They brought in the Children’s largest floats in Carnival history, and instead of the tradition- Parade al, invitation-only ball, tried a supper dance to which tickets Ladders could be purchased.
Devastation from Hurricane Katrina caused many people to wonder about the future of New Orleans and its Mardi Gras celebration, but local krewes pushed the city government forward with the 2006 event. Many of the men and women who worked on parade floats were significantly affected by i G the storms’ aftermath, in many cases having lost most or all ard ra of their possessions. When they repaired the floats that year M s
(many of which had been underwater), some krewes chose
to incorporate the flood lines into the design.
For more than 300 years of Mardi Gras history in New Orleans, krewes, traditions and events updated, changed, corrected, improved, and have created a Carnival that is one FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015 of the largest and most exciting in the world!
Page 4 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Mardi Gras Facts But Mardi Gras isn’t limited to Fat Tuesday. The season starts on
LLC January 6, which is known as Twelfth Night. Other interesting facts WICHITA, KANSAS you might want to know: ► The weekend of Mardi Gras, the population of New Orleans more than doubles. King Cake ► Orleans Parish has laws prohibiting any form of commercial advertising on Carnival parades, and there is no “sponsor” for Mardi Gras (exceptions being that some krewes may have merchandise like posters that are themed for each year). ► Collecting beads started in the late 19th century with glass beads made in Czechoslovakia. Now, the limited edition beads, doubloons and plush toys that are created by the krewes are high in demand. Among them are LED and fiber optic beads. Even more special are the glass beads that have made a return to the festivities. ► King Cakes will contain a bean or small plastic baby, and is used to make decisions, including who will buy the next cake, or even Mardi Gras Spirit who will be the queen of the next ball. ► One of the most famous and sought after throws is the Zulu Coconut (also known as the Golden Nugget and the Mardi Gras Coconut). The coconuts are painted to look like famous black Zulu faces, and are now handed out instead of being thrown (thanks to a law passed in 1988 known as the “Coconut Bill”). ► At the stroke of midnight on Fat Tuesday, mounted officers, known as the NOPD Parade, clear Bourbon Street announcing the end of Mardi Gras and commencing with Ash Wednesday. ► Flambeaux carriers were originally slaves and free men of color who would light the way with heavy torches so that people could better see the elaborate floats and festivities. Crowds would toss coins for them, a custom that continues, as many will demon- strate the art of fire throwing. ► Mardi Gras Indian costumes are unforgettable! In the past, Native-Americans found it difficult to be accepted into a krewe, so they started their own tradition of costume making and parading. The costumes are hand-made creations of intricate bead work Mardi Gras Clean-up and dramatic images, which rank among the nation’s best folk art. Worn just once, the costumes take an entire year to create (some weighing as much as 150 lbs)! ► Mardi Gras success is often measured by the amount of trash collected on Ash (Trash) Wednesday. However, the age of recy- cling has reduced the amount of garbage collected and skews the numbers.
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 5 Little Rock Skyline
ardi Gra M s
FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015
Little Rock, Arkansas Depart Wichita with a special send off to get you in the mood for the Mardi Gras festivities! Learn about every- one on the bus with lots of games and fun on your way to Little Rock, Arkansas.
Little Rock is the capital and largest city in the state of Arkansas with a population of almost 200,000 people. Located near the center of the state, Little Rock derives its name from a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River called la Petite Roche (French for Mississippi River “the little rock”). The rock was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing.
In the morning, we’re on the road again, following the Mississippi River, with your extra careful bus driver! He’ll escort you safely through the speed traps of Pine Bluff, Arkansas! As you drive near the Vicksburg National Military Park, Cindy will give the day’s history lesson! Don’t forget to watch for alligators (alligators are seen all through the Mississippi River in both Mississippi and Louisiana)!
Little Rock River Market
Page 6 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Baton Rouge Skyline
L’Auberge Casino & Hotel
TRY YOUR HAND AT BLACKJACK
Baton Rouge, Louisiana The capital city is located upon Istrouma Bluff, the first bluff upriver from the Mississippi River Delta, which protects the city from flooding and hurricanes. We drive by the capitol building, which was the tallest building in the South when it was built.
Tonight, stay at the L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. Located just a few miles south of downtown Baton Rouge, the beautiful hotel offers several tasty dining options Rooftop Pool and thrilling gaming opportunities!
LLC WICHITA, KANSAS
L’Auberge Lobby
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 7 New Orleans, Louisiana ardi Gra Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) M s
We arrive in New Orleans about mid-morning where
we pick up a local guide who will show us the sights,
including a tour of one of the city’s famous cemeter- ies. After the tour, you will check into the fabulous Riverside Hilton Hotel! This is a luxury hotel located right in the middle of the Mardi Gras action! FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015
Take a little time Monday afternoon to wander the streets and absorb the culture. We have some maps for you to reference that include locations you might TRY A want to see, and restaurants you might want to try. HURRICANE! Ask Jim & Cindy for additional suggestions.
The rest of Monday afternoon and evening is on your own. We suggest you get together in small groups as the streets will be busy and keeping a large group together is very challenging. One of our favorite stops every year is Mulate’s Cajun Restaurant and Dance Hall.
If seeing four parades during the day tomorrow isn’t enough, there are two parades tonight! Wear clothing that is comfortable and can be layered, as the weath- er will go from warm during the day to cold at night. And don’t be shy – wear a costume! It’s all about having fun! Elks Orleans Truck Parade Parade Krewes on Monday Proteus 5:15 pm Proteus is the second oldest krewe in Carnival histo- ry, and the first to parade over three centuries. From its first procession, Proteus has presented elaborate parades and tableau balls. Some parade floats still use their original chassis from the early 1800’s.
Orpheus 6:00 pm Orpheus takes its name from the musically-inclined son of Zeus and Calliope, and has a musical heritage (including founding member Harry Connick Jr.). Their first parade in 1994 established them as a super- krewe as they rolled with 700 riders. The parade has grown to 1200 riders and they were the first to use fiber optic lighting, and feature celebrities. Bourbon Street
Page 8 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans History La Nouvelle-Orleans was founded May 7, 1718. This unique city is known for its cross-cultural heritage, its unique cuisine, and as the birthplace of jazz.
The French colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in LLC 1796 and remained under Spanish control until 1801. WICHITA, KANSAS Nearly all of the surviving 18th century architecture (namely the French Quarter) dates from this period. During the 19th century, the city grew rapidly with a mix of Americans, French, Creoles, Irish, Germans and Africans.
New Orleans dwarfed the population of other cities in the antebellum South. The large city, combined with its principal port, made New Orleans a major slave hub. Despite its dealings with slave trade, New Orle- ans also had the largest and most prosperous commu- nity of free persons of color in the nation, who were often educated and middle-class property owners. St. Charles Street Car During the American Civil War, the Union captured New Orleans early; the city was spared the destruction suffered by many other cities of the American South.
New Orleans continued to be the largest city in the South until the 1950’s when Houston, Dallas and Atlanta surpassed it. In the 1960’s the country watched as the first black child, six-year-old Ruby Bridges integrated the Williams Frantz Elementary School in the city’s Ninth Ward, heralding a new era of desegregation. Garden District During the 20th century, the city expanded by using a system of drains and pumps to utilize the surrounding swamp for urban development. During this same time frame, both natural and human-induced settling caused the ground of many areas of the city to drop several feet below sea level. Levees and flood walls were utilized to help contain water during large storms, until they failed after Hurricane Katrina. This failure led to over 80% of the city being flooded. While challenges from the flooding still exist, the city’s population has almost returned to pre-Katrina levels New Orleans and major tourist events and other forms of revenue Skyline have returned to the city.
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 9 New Orleans, Louisiana Cemeteries Only in New Orleans would cemeteries become a major tourist attraction. Because much of the city is built on old swampland, crypts and mausoleums are needed to keep the dead where they are buried. With their elaborate sculptures and decorative artwork, the larger cemeteries resemble villages and are often called “Cities of the Dead”.
French Quarter Vieux Carré is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans, and the district as a whole is a National Historic Landmark. Several fires in the late 18th century destroyed French Quarter most of the Quarter’s old French colonial architecture, leaving the colony’s new Spanish overlords to rebuild according to current tastes. New fire codes mandated that structures be physically adjacent and close to the curb to create firewalls. Wood siding was replaced with stucco and French peaked roofs were replaced with tiles. Colorful walls and roofs with elaborate ironwork balconies and galleries was the nouveau style. The neighborhood remains a cultural hub of the city.
Bourbon Street The tourist draw of Bourbon Street is the eight-block St. Louis Cemetery section of the road in the French Quarter, from Canal Street to Pauger Street. Bourbon Street was named in honor of the House of Bourbon, the ruling French Royal Family at the time of the city’s founding. While mostly quiet during the day, at night it comes alive with many nightclubs, restaurants, souvenir shops, strip clubs and gay bars.
Streetcars New Orleans has three active streetcar lines, the St. Charles, the Riverfront and the Canal Street. The St. Beignets Charles Line is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in America and each car is designated a historic landmark. ardi Gra M s Café du Monde
The original French Market coffee stand opened in 1862
and is open 24 hours a day. Stop in for fresh beignets - tasty, square, French-style doughnuts that are lavishly covered with powdered sugar. FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015
Page 10 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Oak Alley Plantation We hope you had a great time in New Orleans! We check out at 8:00 am, but if you didn’t get enough sleep (or any), you can catch a few z’s on the bus!
Oak Alley Plantation See the “Grande Dame of the Great River Road”, one of the most spectacular antebel- lum homes in the South where a quarter-mile canopy of giant live oak trees, forms an impressive avenue leading to the Greek-revival Oak style home. After a tour of the home, there will Alley be a Cajun buffet. Then, enjoy a mint julep as you tour the grounds!
LLC WICHITA, KANSAS
Horseshoe Casino & Hotel
Bossier City, Louisiana Horseshoe Casino Hotel Lay your head in Bossier City, a suburb of Shreveport, Louisiana. Topping the city’s skyline, this luxury hotel offers suite-only rooms. Enjoy a fabulous buffet for dinner!
In the casino, see $1,000,000 on the wall! If you choose to gamble, there are over 1,500 slots and more than 60 gaming tables.
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 11 LAUGH OUT Ft Worth, Texas LOUD HAVE YOUR We hope you’ve been playing hard! We’ll even let you PHOTO sleep in a little this morning! TAKEN Ft. Worth Chisholm Trail ON A BULL Hotel We drive through Dallas to Ft Worth, Texas, and Heritage Center check into the Hyatt Place in the historic Stockyards District. Wander the streets of the old stock- yards-turned-retail stores and see the twice-daily Duncan, Oklahoma cattle drive. Grab some dinner before going to Billy We are turning toward home, but before Bob’s Texas for country dancing! You won’t want to we get there we will stop at the Chisholm miss experiencing the largest honky tonk in the Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, OK. world! The Texas-sized dance floor has 32 bar stations and can host over 6,000 people. Arrive Chisholm Trail Heritage Center early for a line-dance lesson! The Chisholm Trail was named for Jesse Chisholm who built trading posts in Okla- homa before the Civil War. After the war, cattle drivers would collect Texas cattle and drive them to railheads in Abilene, Kansas along the trading route that was ardi Gra started by Jesse Chisholm. The cattle M s would then be sold back East where their LLC value was higher (in Texas they were worth WICHITA, KANSAS
$4/hd, in the North and East they were $40/hd). There are several shows, and an Cattle Drive interactive area for you to learn the history of the cattle trails. Enjoy old fashioned hospitality and a tasty chuck wagon lunch FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015 before we continue on to Wichita!
Over the last 150 years, what began as an army outpost has become a sophisticated, cultural city that Enjoy good music, unique food and celebrates is authentic Western heritage. unusual people! We know you will have a fabulous time on this trip! Stockyards Ft. Worth became a legendary stop along the Chisholm Trail, the path by which millions of head of cattle were driven to market. The Texas Pacific Railway caused a new boom in transforming the Ft. Worth Stockyards into a major hub. With the boom came the building of a large collection of bars, dance halls, and bawdy houses. The area was known as Hell’s Half Acre, and was the largest area of vice south of Dodge City, Kansas. Ranching and cattle are still large industries in and around Ft. Worth.
Billy Bob’s Texas Originally an open-air barn for cattle, it was enclosed in 1936 and contained 1,257 animal stalls and a 1,200 seat auction ring (now the bull riding arena). The slope that is now perfect for concerts was originally used to allow easy cleaning for the cattle pens. During World War II, it was converted to an airplane factory. In the 1950’s, it became a department store where the clerks wore roller skates to make their jobs easier. This 127,000 square foot entertainment complex hosts major concerts and On the Trail Monument events like Live Pro Bull Riding!
Page 12 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 13 LAUGH OUT LOUD
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center
Duncan, Oklahoma We are turning toward home, but before we get there we will stop at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, OK.
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center The Chisholm Trail was named for Jesse Chisholm who built trading posts in Okla- homa before the Civil War. After the war, cattle drivers would collect Texas cattle and drive them to railheads in Abilene, Kansas along the trading route that was ardi Gra started by Jesse Chisholm. The cattle M s would then be sold back East where their
value was higher (in Texas they were worth
$4/hd, in the North and East they were $40/hd). There are several shows, and an interactive area for you to learn the history of the cattle trails. Enjoy old fashioned hospitality and a tasty chuck wagon lunch FEBRUARY 14-20, 2015 before we continue on to Wichita!
Enjoy good music, unique food and unusual people! We know you will have a fabulous time on this trip!
On the Trail Monument
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 13 YOU WIN! LLC WHEN YOU TRAVEL WITH WICHITA, KANSAS JIM & CINDY!
Pricing $1399
Prices per person, based on double occupancy. Please note: In these fast paced times with currency values, fuel prices and other expenses constantly changing, we Deposit is Required reserve the right to change trip prices and itineraries. We try to include all of your costs, but sometimes we have surprise with Reservation expenses charged to us that we cannot absorb. $200 per person x ____ persons
=$ ______Deposit Paid Trip Insurance A travel insurance plan is purchased by Jim and ardi Gra Cindy’s Tours on behalf M s of our passengers for
trips which are four (4) days or longer.
This insurance plan provides trip cancellation and interruption insur- ance, as well as additional benefits, as covered in the policy. A complete description of coverage is provided to MARCH 14-20, 2015 our customers when the reservation and deposit is received by Jim and Cindy’s Tours.
Email: [email protected] │ www.jctours.com │ Tel: 316-838-0795 │ 3227 N. Tee Time │ Wichita, KS 67205 Page 11