World Venture Travel

Po’ Boys and crawfish, seafood jambalaya and red beans and rice, zydeco music and dancing.  It is the time for the Fat Tuesday celebrations, and while Huntsville, Alabama is not in New Orleans, it is in the south.  And there is no better region to be in right now than in the Southern region of the United States.  There are many different traditions throughout the world that revolve around this holiday.  One thing that they have in common is that it is a day in which to indulge a bit, before the upcoming fasts of Lent.

The Mardi Gras celebrations precede Ash Wednesday, and the celebrations include not only dancing and having fun, but getting the last little bit of rich and indulgent food in, before the following forty days of restrictions.  In some countries this is also known as Pancake Tuesday.  Donuts and pancakes are rich and sweet, and when one is looking at giving up the foods of pleasure for a while, of course they want to have a bit to carry them through.

In the Southern States of America, the food is rich, but it is spicy too.  Crawfish festivals abound, and the old timers instruct the newbies on just how to squeeze the tail and suck the head.  The celebrations in the smaller town of Huntsville, Alabama will be incredible, but much lower of a key than those that will be taking place in New Orleans, so many opt for this calmer way to celebrate.  Many of the hotels will be offering travel and accommodation discounts, for a list of those check here. There will be feasts of Cajun food and local favorites, Dynamic Duo and Mambo Gris Gris will be playing Zydeco Music all night, and the dancing will carry on until far into the evening, the same Southern celebration of Fat Tuesday, without the crowds of people.

From the Delaware river to the Schuylkill river. From High, aka Market, Street to Dock Creek is the original plan of Philadelphia. This city started with caves dug in the banks of the river or a shabby hut in the center of the land area. The kettle swinging on a transverse between two poles above a home spun fire pit. The Swedish and the Dutch were the first to arrive here and meet the native people. The new settlers sure worked hard and fast to bring this town up to a better standard of living. The city grew and grew as it added on the “suburbs” of the early conception.

The first additions to the city areas were Southwark, Moyamensing, Northern Liberties, Kensigton, Spring Garden, Pen District and West Philadelphia. They were all pretty much one town built up side by side. From there there were other townships and settlements that grew from there. There were about 18 areas that eventually became a part of the “city of Philadelphia” as their streets connected and boundaries touched. In 1854 all of the settlements finally came together under one municipal government. The districts of the city are still marked from the original growth of the city, however, many of the unique markers of individuality have now disappeared.

Philadelphia went on to be the home of many of the founding fathers. There were many significant events that took place in Philadelphia that contributed to the United States we know of today. It was one of the largest original cities in the new world. In 1775 the Congress was in session in Philadelphia and the order of the day was to elect Benjamin Franklin to be the first Postmaster General of the United Colonies. He established a Pony Express which took mail from New York to Philadelphia two times a week. This of course grew to be a country wide delivery from the Hudson River to the New Golden Gate Bridge. One year later the Declaration of Independence was adopted and and read from the State House Yard by John Nixon. Now it’s time to check into a fine hotel, Philadelphia has many, and see the history for yourself.