Last Trip of the Year

We are with Adventure Caravans for the Rose Parade.  They have had us going  non-stop for 3 days, and we decided to sit today out and let our back sides catch up to us.  The first afternoon was settling in, reception party, with instructions that we would board the bus round 9.  Then it was off to the Equestfest.  Consisted of the mounted unites that will be in the parade. Impressive.

     

Then it was back on the bus for a ride of 90 miles to the Palm Spring Follies.  Now this is a show of people who are at the very least 55 years of age, and they were fantastic.  The showgirls age started at 63 up to 82.  Totally amazing. They had great full body suits including arms and boobs, but you could hardly tell.  Costumes rivaled any thing in Vegas.  After almost 3 hour show we were back on “thee bus” arriving back at the park around midnight, only to be told that we were to be seated once again at 7:15……AM.  We were off to one of the float barns where there were 10 floats being worked on in this area.  Each flower here is in it’s own vial, flowers, flowers every where.

Flowers galore and then some.  The largest float to every be in the parade is being built here, and it  was indescribable. CRS won’t let me remember the sponsor, but vaguely recall something about a dog food company. 

From there we were off to the Huntington Library, which is more like a large museum, surrounded with different flower gardens, many of them were not blooming, and the high winds that came through the area, a few weeks ago, took a toll on several areas.  The desert cacti area was superb though.

Aloe in bloom, had never realized there were as many varieties of cactus as there were here.          

Every plant here is a cactus, would love to see this when it was in bloom, must really be something.

Could have spent the day here.

Time to get back on thee bus, and we were on our way to the Band fest.  The bands that are participating in the parade put on shows for a few days.  And for all my Wisconsin friends and family, They were the best of the day.  They did a Pokka and really got into it.  The crowd was stomping and clapping like mad.  Great Show, great job!                                                              

        

Once again back on….you know what, and headed home. 

Had an hour before we were treated to a catered dinner, and finished the ole year off, with a champagne toast, with poppers popping, horns a tooting, and wishes for a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Tomorrow we will be off for the parade, leaving here at 5:30, but we are well rested.  Did not mind missing today, it was a tour consisting of Rodeo Drive, Mann’s Chinese theatre, Farmer Market and a few other stops, but we have see it all on different tours, know we both enjoyed the rest a lot more. 

Life is Good