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Easter

3/29/2016

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  We will never think of Easter in the same way again! While in a local Atlanta store on Easter Sunday, we came across one of those truly colorful characters we've occasionally met during our travels; a Drag Queen in a bunny costume! We just HAD to say "hello." Baton Bob (aka Bob Jameson) is not only a local celebrity, but also has gained some national noteriety ( winning a number awards for his street performances). What was even more amazing was that our New Orleans landlady knew him from his stints during Madi Gras. It turns out that Baton Bob was on his way to a local Drag Queen festival down the street from where we met. This was too good to be true! It seems that each Easter, a number of Drag Queens participate in what they call "Drag Races". Apparently, the events include an Easter Bonnet contest, as well as racing back and forth through a parking lot while putting on various female attire. When we got to the festival venue, they were just beginning to set up for the day's events. There were close to 20 Drag Queens in attendance. Regardless of what your personal feelings towards these folks might be, we found them to be quite friendly and pleasant. Their lives seemed to be full of joy. Even though rain threatened to dampen this event, for us, this Easter was a totally different experience.

For more information on some of these characters, try Googling "Baton Bob" and "Calico Deville".

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Baton Bob with Lori...
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...and a "different" view.
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The plastic egg lady, Betty Bennett, with Lori.
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Calico Deville (aka William Winters) also with Lori.
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Pink Le Monaid, Dixie Normous, and Britney Powers.
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Jody McFerien, husband of the egg lady, Betty Bennett.
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Lori Devine, Autumn Sky, and Edward Smith.
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The gathered ensemble.
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Choosing an Apartment

3/28/2016

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We know that many of our blog readers are getting ready to find an apartment on-line for their vacation. Some have texted us asking how to go about choosing a good place to stay. Here are the steps we always take. First, decide on the country and city of choice and when you want to be there. Then choose what sights you want to see.. As any real estate agent will tell you, the most important factor in choosing a place, is location. Try to find one near the attractions you want to see, or, at least on a public transportation (bus, subway) line, so you can easily get to them. No one wants to find a great place to stay that is miles away from the public transportation. However, sometimes, you can find an apartment right in the middle of the action. Our apartment in Dubrovnik, Croatia was within the walled city itself.

The size of the apartment is also important. How many people are in your group? How much privacy is needed? Each will need a place to sleep. If like us, your answer is two, then a studio is fine, or maybe you'll want to spread out with a bedroom, living room, and a dining room.

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Price is very important. How much do you want to spend? If being in the city proper is too pricey, sometimes a lower priced apartment will be on the outskirts. When we were visiting London, we stayed in Fulham, a twenty minute subway ride to downtown London. Many times, the landlord/landlady will give you a lower price than what is advertised, depending on your length of stay. Always ask.

Does the place you're considering have the amenities you need? We MUST have wifi and a clothes washer in each location. Now it is time to read the reviews. We look at these quite carefully. Previous tenants taking the time to write about their experiences are usually honest. They'll tell what they liked about the apartment and landlord, but also what they didn't appreciate about their experiences during their stay. Was the landlord responsive to their questions and/or problems in the apartment? Was the apartment represented truthfully in the VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) ad? Did everything work and was it in good condition?

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Cleanliness is another important item. Is the neighborhood quiet and safe? If there is a nearby bar that lets out at 2:00am with rowdy customers, waking you up every night, the reviews will mention that. We never rent a place that has less than five reviews, so as to get a good feel for it. We look quite carefully at only positive reviews as they can be bought on-line. We want to see a few negatives mentioned also, to ensure truthfulness.

Look at the ad pictures very carefully. Landlords naturally want to show their best. Sometimes they might leave a room out because it's not up to par. Make sure every room is photographed, especially the bathroom. This eliminates as many surprises as possible. Is there an elevator if the apartment is on the third floor or above?

Try to pay only the down payment before hand if at all possible. Remember, at this stage, these apartments exist on paper. We try to pay the balance of the rent after we have seen the place. There are many scammers out there. "Bait and Switch" tactics are common. If the landlord tells you the apartment was just booked, but he has another one just like it (but is not on VRBO) walk away. You want the reliability of VRBO to stand behind your choice. You give that VRBO peace of mind away if you rent a different apartment from the same landlord. You are doing this without guarantees, photos, and PayPal. Using PayPal is a secure method of payment.

So there you have it! We've never been dissatisfied with any of our apartments in the past 18 months of travel. All of our stays have been enjoyable and comfortable. We feel confident that yours will be also if you follow these steps. Remember, you can contact us if you have questions, by email, text, Facebook, or on the Weebly blog itself.

Good traveling!

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MLK House

3/26/2016

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  Everyone knows of Martin Luther King, but how many of our followers know "Michael Luther King"? The senior MLK was originally named "Michael Luther King" by his mother, over the objections of his father, who favored the name "Martin". As the grandfather lay dying, he urged the senior MLK to change his name to "Martin". The younger MLK was six years old when his name changed also, in order to stay a "Junior".

  Martin Luther King, Jr. was born here in the Sweet Auburn section of Atlanta and later preached at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Both are on the same block and make up part of the 35 acre "Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site." It did take some navigation to get there from our apartment (the #27 bus to Midtown Terminal, the subway three stops to downtown, followed by a 3/4 mile walk to Centennial Olympic Park, where we caught a streetcar to the site). That was the easy part. In order to see the inside of MLK 's birth home, you have to sign up at the National Park Service's Visitor Center down the street, for one of their guided tours. Tours start at 10 am and are limited to 15 people each time. They fill up quickly, so even if you get there early, the timed tour to which you are assigned may be later in the day. And the Park Service doesn't take pre-registrations. You can only sign up on the day you are there. Still there is a lot to see in the complex while you wait. The original Ebenezer Baptist church, where MLK's father and he both preached, is opposite the Visitor's Center (the newer, more modern church next door is not open to the public tours). Just a few doors away from MLK's home is the historic Fire Station No. 6, where King and his brother, A.D., used to shoot basketballs with the firefighters. Since we love history, this was a great day for us.

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MLK's birth home. He lived here for the first 12 years of his life.
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The row of "shot-gun" houses (across from MLK's home) in the Sweet Auburn section of Atlanta.
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MLK's sister, Christine's bedroom.
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The parents' bedroom, where all the children were born.
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The two brothers, MLK and AD, slept in this room.
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The laundry room was off of the kitchen area.
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The well appointed parlor shows that the King family was better off than most .
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The formal dining room.
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This wooden farm wagon, which was used to carry MLK's casket during his funeral. The story goes that MLK's brother, AD, searched for this wagon for some time. When he found it, he was unable to locate the owner. So AD "borrowed" the wagon, with the intention of paying for it later. We don't know it payment was ever made.
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A 1968 photo of MLK's funeral, with the wooden farm wagon carrying the casket.
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The Ebenezer Baptist Church where MLK Jr. and his father preached.
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The interior of the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church. This is where MLK preached along with his father.
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Georgia Aquarium

3/23/2016

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  Atlanta offers a City Pass that provides entrance to five major city attractions at a reduced rate, and the ability to skip over long lines at ticket booths (we've taken advantage of similar offers in other cities). As part of this City Pass, we visited the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, the largest in the Western Hemisphere (it was the world's largest until surpassed in 2012 by the Marine Life Park in Singapore). This beautiful building is located at the north end of Centennial Olympic Park, in a complex that includes the World of Coca-Cola and the Center for Civil and Human Rights. The structure itself looks like a giant boat or ark moving through the water. One of its highlights is the collection of whale sharks (the largest fish species). The only aquarium outside of Asia that has such an exhibit. These sharks are huge, but graceful and elegant. We spent hours exploring the five different galleries of the aquarium that correspond to specific environments. Perhaps the most interesting part was being able to walk through a glass tunnel with the fish swimming all around us, as if we were in the water with them. Even though we've been to other such venues in other parts of the world, this was still a delightful experience.

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The Georgia Aquarium building in Atlanta is gaped like an ark moving through water.
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The center lobby area with access to all five galleries.
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The beautiful Pacific Sea Nettle.
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Here we are in front of one of the giant tanks.
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The glass tunnel under the large tank.
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The largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark.
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The aquarium also houses a significant number of Beluga whales.
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There is even an albino alligator.
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Of course, there are penguins...
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...sea otters...
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...and Dolphins.
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CNN Center

3/22/2016

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  Some of you know that, through my Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) activities, especially with the National Weather Service sponsored Skywarn Spotter program, I became very familiar with much of the television media market in Boston. So, when Lori and I learned that a tour of CNN's World Headquarters here in Atlanta was available, we had to take it. Located within the Omni Atlanta Hotel building, next to Centennial Olympic Park, this place is huge! The "...little network that could..." (Tom Brokaw in "Live from Baghdad"), founded by Ted Turner, certainly has grown into an empire. Tours of the facility run every twenty minutes and usually contain 35-40 visitors at a time. And, it begins in a spectacular way; riding up the world's longest, free-standing escalator (196 feet) for eight floors. For close to an hour, we saw many behind-the-scenes locations within this complex. It was fun to experience this, as it brought back lots of memories for me. As an added treat, while traveling to the CNN Center, we had to negotiate around the Atlanta Marathon ( the fourth marathon we've experienced on our adventure). I have a special fondness for marathons, as I had volunteered for the Boston Marathon for many years.

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The CNN Center entrance to the world headquarters for Ted Turner's empire.
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The CNN logo greets visitors in the building's lobby.
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This 196 foot escalator (the world's longest free-standing one) takes visitors up eight floors for the beginning of the tour.
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One of the field broadcast trucks used overseas.
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This newsroom mock-up tries to give visitors a feel for being in a television studio.
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The weather news "Green Screen" is now considered to be "old school technology" as weather departments have now switched to "Smart Screens".
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The Headline News studio is used for broadcasts on the weekend.
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Just a small portion of the newsroom staff area.
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Photos of CNN's personalities are on the walls everywhere. This one is of Anderson Cooper reporting on-location.
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This area gets staffed during "breaking news" events.
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Atlanta Botanical Gardens

3/21/2016

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  Our travels around the world have included stops at a number of superb botanical gardens; some larger than others, but all equally beautiful. During our current visit to Atlanta, we are fortunate to be only a half-mile from this city's 40 year old gardens (we pass it everyday on our way downtown). While compared to some of the others we've visited, Atlanta's Botanical Gardens are relatively small (encompassing only 30 acres), it is big in its design, exhibits, and beauty. Just looking at the pictures included here, will only provide a taste of the elegance. One of the unique aspects of these gardens is the 600 foot long canopy walk that carries visitors forty feet above the city's last remaining forests. Another highlight is the magnificent orchid center. This place is amazing!

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The Piedmont Ave entrance to the gardens, which sit on the edge of the city's Piedmont Park.
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The Visitors Center building.
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Glass sculpturist, Dale Chihuley, spent 18 months studying at the Murano Glass Works in Italy. One of his pieces hangs in the lobby of the Visitors Center...
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...and another is part of the Parterre Garden Fountain.
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Tulips were in bloom everywhere.
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We were just stunned by the amazingly beautiful flowers on exhibit.
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One of the top attractions in the Gardens is the Orchid Center.
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The High Elevation House exhibits flowers and plants that grow above 6000 feet.
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A delightful area for children is the model train exhibit...
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...which includes Thomas the Tank Engine.
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The twenty foot tall Earth Goddess living sculpture was designed in Montreal and holds more than 18,000 individual plants.
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Margaret Mitchell House

3/19/2016

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  Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With The Wind" is considered, by Americans, to be the second most read book (next to the Bible). Mitchell wrote this Pulitzer Prize winning novel while living in an old mansion that had been converted into 10 apartments, as she was recovering from a stubborn ankle injury. That house still stands today ( on the corner of Crecent Ave. and Peachtree St. N.E.) across from the Federal Reserve Bank building. We found this three-story Tudor building quite by accident (our favorite way of discovering things) while searching for the Atlanta Visitors Bureau. The house has been converted into a museum dedicated to Mitchell and her grand novel. Our timing for visiting this museum was perfect, as we were able to catch a guided tour just as it was beginning. There was so much information presented about Mitchell's life and her novel, it was hard to absorb it all. Among the interesting facts we did learn was that Margaret was a bit of flirt, dating several men at the same time. In addition, Mitchell often referred to her apartment building as "The Dump" because of poor maintenance during the depression years she lived there. While it was interesting to tour her apartment and get a feel for what life might have been like for her here, it was a bit disappointing to learn that none of the furniture actually belonged to Mitchell, but rather are period pieces gathered over the years by the museum staff in an effort to recreate her living quarters as closely as possible. Still, it was an interesting and fun time.

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The former mansion on Crescent Ave. in which Margaret Mitchell and her husband, John Marsh, lived.
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The back porch area. In 1919, this former mansion was converted into ten apartments.
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This 1936 photograph by Atlanta Journal Photographer Kenneth Rogers was Mitchell's favorite.
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Margaret Mitchell worked as a reporter for the Atlanta Journal. Here, she is seen interviewing silent movie star Rudolph Valentino in 1923.
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Margaret standing on the front porch of her home.
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The tiny kitchen area of the apartment.
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Because space was so limited in the apartment, the ice box was located out in a hallway next to the kitchen.
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The bedroom in which Margaret and her husband, John Marsh, slept was located between the kitchen and the parlor.
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The only other room in this apartment was the parlor.
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Mitchell liked to work by the corner window of the parlor because it was bright and airy here.
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Margaret Mitchell at the December 15, 1939 world premiere of the film "Gone With The Wind" at Lowe's Grand Theater.
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Clark Gable was a big fan of Margaret Mitchell and arranged for a private meeting with her after the premiere of the film.
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RCA Studio B

3/15/2016

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   As we move on to Atlanta, it is time to wrap up our visit to Nashville. Included in our visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame, was a side trip to the famous RCA Studio B - "where a 1000 hits were recorded." Our very energetic, music enthusiast guide, George, delighted us with lots of historic information about the building, along with snipits of some of the many songs recorded here (all of which were part of Lori's and my formative years). In addition to being a great attraction, this was a wonderful walk down memory lane for us. We not only got to stand on some of the exact spots that music's most famous stars (including Chet Akins, Roy Orbitson, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Dolly Parton, and many more) recorded their songs, but also sat at the original studio piano that has been here since the beginning. What a great time!

                   studiob.org

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The unremarkable looking ( from the outside) RCA Studio B...."where a 1000 hits were recorded."
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Studio B plaques at the lobby entrance provide some interesting information about the building.
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The control room's mixing board looks into the recording studio.
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Some of the many records Elvis recorded here are displayed in the lobby.
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The recording studio has been restored to look exactly as it did during its heyday.
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During one recording session, Elvis apparently became frustrated at how things were progressing and took it out on this cabinet. The studio decided to never fix it.
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Old photo of the Everly Brothers recording one of their songs. The acoustics in this room were so precise that specific points were marked on the floor for the sounds that the recording engineers and the artists wanted for a particular song.
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Our energetic tour guide George, accommodated the group by taking individual pictures of us at the studio piano.
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...and here we are sitting at this historic original studio B piano.
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Downtown Presbyterian Church

3/13/2016

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  We are always on the look out for the unusual. When told by locals that there is a church in downtown Nashville that resembles an Egyptian temple, a visit was deemed necessary. Sure enough, located at the corner of 5th and Church streets is the Downtown Presbyterian Church (formerly known as the First Presbyterian Church). Apparently, architect William Strickland, who also designed the Tennessee State Capital building a couple of blocks away, was influenced by reports of archeological discoveries in Egypt. Gaining access through the church office, we were amazed by the Egyptian revival motif throughout the church. The extensive use of the winged globe symbol of the Egyptian God Aman-Ra (meaning eternity) really made us feel like we were inside an Egyptian temple. Sometimes, you never know what you may find just around the corner. For more information, visit the following link;

           www.dpchurch.com

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The twin towers of the Downtown Presbyterian Church.
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Looking at the main altar, and the very Egyptian side walls, from the balcony.
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Close-up of the wall motif.
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Framed drawing of some of the architectural designs used by William Strickland.
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Original hand-blown, painted gas lamp shades (circa 1882) used near the lectern platform.
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Even the stain glass windows carry an Egyptian theme.
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Mrs. James K. Polk, wife of the former President, had her own pew.
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Belle Meade Plantation

3/13/2016

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  When we think about the southern United States, visions of ante bellum plantations spring to mind. Following the Civil War, many of those estates disappeared. Fortunately, for us, a few have been preserved as museums and tourist attractions. We found one such preserved plantation, i.e. Belle Meade, a short bus ride (on the number 5) from downtown Nashville. John Harding originally bought a cabin and 250 acres in 1807, but it quickly grew to over 5000 acres. What was surprising to us, when we arrived, was that it did not look like what we thought a typical cotton plantation should. There were no large open spaces with remnants of cotton plants and numerous slave cabins scattered about. That was because Belle Meade never grew cotton. Instead, it was devoted to the boarding and breeding of thoroughbred race horses. Over the years, the Harding family had become so successful at this endeavor, that bloodlines have carried into modern times (the famous race horse of the 20th century, "Sea Biscuit" could trace its ancestry back to Belle Meade's "Enquirer").Because of this, we could only imagine how different life on this plantation was from the more typical ones. While there are only 30 acres left, of the 5000 in its heyday, the grounds are beautiful. A long, winding driveway took us from the road up to the main house. Scattered around the grounds were several out buildings; the spacious carriage house and stables, a smoke house for curing meats, a grounds keepers house (with an attached greenhouse), remnants of the dairy barn, one lonely slave cabin, and the original two-room cabin that came with the property, when John Harding bought the first 250 acres. As we were exploring the carriage house and stables, we discovered a surprise out back, a croquet lawn and a bocce court ( we never would have guessed that bocce was known, let alone played, in southern America during the 1800's). There is just so much history here that we spent an entire day trying to absorb it all. See for yourself by visiting;

             bellemeadplantation.com

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The sign along the road (known as the Natchez Trace Parkway) announcing the entrance to the plantation.
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This is what we saw when we turned the corner onto the grounds. This picture doesn't really do justice to how truly beautiful the grounds are.
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This is the cabin that stood on the original 250 acres that John Harding bought in 1807.
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In later years, this original cabin became the home for Belle Meade's legendary horse hostler, Bob Green. Notice the newspapers used as wallpaper.
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Old photo of head hostler, Bob Green sitting on his personal horse, Bob Taylor. Legend has it that when the plantation fell on hard times around the turn of the century, Green intended to sell his horse to help the family. At the auction, the horse sold for $25, at which time, the winning bidder returned the horse to Green, saying "He's yours."
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The main house at Belle Meade was constructed in the Greek Revival style.
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The spacious carriage house and stables complex sits adjacent to the main house.
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The Harding family owned several carriages that each served a specific purpose. This one was called the Victoria (after Queen Victoria) and was used for special occasions.
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The Hardings also maintained their own light artillery unit.
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The very elegant entrance hall with a winding staircase leading to the second floor bedrooms.
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The first floor family room off of the main entrance hallway.
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This dining room was used for formal occasions. Normal, everyday dinners were taken either in the family room or in the kitchen area.
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One of several bedrooms on the second floor.
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In the late 1800's, the Hardings built this "Doll House" for the children of the family.
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The only horse buried on the grounds, "Enquirer" is memorialized by this monument. It's bloodlines can be traced up to the 20th century legend "Sea Biscuit."
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Out behind the mansion is this two-story smoke house.
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Also out behind the mansion is the gardeners home, with an attached greenhouse.
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The Hardings had this mausoleum built for members of the family. It was capable of holding 24 coffins. When the plantation was eventually sold, the bodies were relocated to a local cemetery.
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The one remaining slave cabin on the property.
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The two foot stone walls of the dairy barn allowed the Hardings to keep dairy products cool. A cold water stream next to the barn also helped to keep things cool.
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Side view of the mansion taken from next to the dairy barn.
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Grand Ole Opry

3/12/2016

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  No visit to the country music capital of America would be complete without taking in a show at the number one Nashville attraction - the Grand Ole Opry. We had been to the Ryman Auditorium, in which the Opry had performed until 1974, but wanted to see the larger "new" venue specifically built for the Opry. Without a car to use, it was necessary for us to take the #34 MTA bus to the Opey Mills Mall, nine miles east of downtown. The first thing we did was to take a one hour back stage tour. While the "new" Opry is technologically advanced over the Ryman Auditorium, to us, it did not provide the same friendly atmosphere. Sure, the pews came with comfortable cushions, but the place felt sterile, while the Ryman felt like an old friend. On the positive side, the back stage area was much bigger and had more dressing rooms. And there are no "bad" seats in the audience area, as there are multiple large screen t.v.'s throughout the hall. Our tour included going on stage to where the six foot diameter circle, made of wood taken from part of the Ryman stage, was placed. This symbolizes that the "...circle remains unbroken." While on stage, our tour group sang "You are my sunshine", thus making it possible for us to claim we had "performed" at the Grand Ole Opry.

  Following this, we attended a wonderful two and a half hour performance, during which we saw such country legends as Connie Smith, Bill Anderson, the Swon Brothers, Ricky Skaggs, and Tracy Lawrence, along with the Irish folk group, Altan. There were some surprises during the show, i.e. staff walking across the stage, behind the artists, in the middle of the performance (it seemed like Grand Central Station), and some adult language (interestingly, earlier artist contracts, e.g. Jerry Lee Lewis, specifically prohibited profanity). In addition, some of the performers tried to distract the announcer by playing tricks on him, while he read commercial messages. We had no preconceived notion of what it would be like to be in the audience during a live radio show. What a wonderful time we had!

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Looking at the Grand Ole Opry building from the Opry Mills Mall.
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The entrance used by artists performing that day, takes them past a bronze statue tribute to Minnie Pearl.
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Studio A, a separate performance venue within the building, was used for the Hee Haw show.
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Rita, our tour guide, introduces us to the back stage dressing room area.
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Grand Ole Opry members have their own mail boxes for fan mail.
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The "Into the Circle" dressing room is used by artists performing for the first time at the Opry.
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Performers who have served in the military, use the "The Stars and Strips" dressing room.
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There is even a dressing room for guest artists, e.g. President Richard Nixon.
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One special dressing room is dedicated to Minnie Pearl.
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The Family Room is a place where performers and their families can gather prior to going on stage.
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The center stage "Circle" was made from wood taken from part of the Ryman stage. Notice that the "Circle" wood is oriented 90 degrees to the rest of the stage in order to help it stand out. This is where we stood when our tour group sang "You Are My Sunshine" as our Grand Ole Opry "performance."
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The Grand Ole Opry organization built this house for country legend Roy Acuff, who was so thoroughly devoted to the Opry that he would spend 24/7 of his day here doing things for the Opry organization and fellow artists.
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Here we are on stage for "our performance."
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Legend Connie Smith performing during our show. Notice the on stage large t.v. Screen so that everyone can see her "...up close and personal."
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The Swon Brothers were a big hit. They stayed after the show to autograph their new album at the Gift Shop.
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Singer-songwriter Ricky Skaggs has been a Member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1982.
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The Irish folk group Altan opened their performance singing in Gaelic, which was very special for Lori. American Bluegrass music owes its roots to Irish folk music.
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Christ Church Cathedral

3/12/2016

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  Wherever we are, talking with locals about attractions that they find enjoyable (and which may not be on any tourist bucket list) is great fun. In Nashville, one site which kept coming up as one we HAD to visit was the Christ Church Cathedral, because of its beautiful stained glass windows - some of which were created by the Tiffany & Company. It took us a bit of exploration to find it. Once there, we were disappointed to find it closed (apparently it is only open from 10 am to 1 pm). However, Lori's persistence paid off when we were finally able to gain entrance through an unremarkable side door. Dianne, the Director of Communications for the Cathedral, was gracious enough to show us around, providing us with some historic background about this religious site. It is indeed beautiful! While all of the cathedral's stained glass windows are exquisite, the two sets of Tiffany & Company's triplets are exceptional. We have literally visited hundreds of churches, mosques, and temples during our travels, and would easily have to rank this one near the top. If you wish to explore this cathedral further, please visit the link listed below:

    info@christcathedral.org

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Christ Church Cathedral from across the street.
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Looking down the central aisle towards the main altar.
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The lectern is fronted by a bronze statue of the angel Gabriel.
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This elaborately carved wooden pulpit was a gift of the Parish Aid and Sewing Society.
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Tiffany & Company of New York designed and built two sets of triplet windows for the church. This one is titled "House at Nazareth"...
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...and this one titled "The Second Coming of Christ."
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The organ loft, originally constructed in 1894.
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All of the stained glass windows are exquisite!
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Ryman Auditorium

3/12/2016

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  Like most people, we enjoy various kinds of music; some types more than others. Admittedly, our knowledge of,and experience with, country music and the Blues hasn't been extensive. However, one thing we have learned from our adventures has been to be open to new ideas and experiences, often with surprisingly pleasant results. Our visits to both Memphis and Nashville has led us to realize that there is an interconnectivity between the various genres; i.e. Gospel and folk music evolved into the Blues, Blue Grass, and Honky Tonk; which led to Popular, Rockabilly, and, eventually, to Rock-n-Roll. Exploring the sounds of Memphis and Nashville has been eye opening. Recently, we went to "The Mother Church of Country Music" - the Ryman Auditorium. This former Union Gospel Tabernacle was home to the Grand Ole Opry for 31 years (1943 to 1974). Were we surprised to learn that Captain Thomas Ryman, who had earned his fortune as owner of a fleet of gambling riverboats and several saloons, would make a 180 degree turn and build a gospel tabernacle based upon the principles of temperance! And who would have foreseen that this church, in order to pay down substantial debt, would turn into the world mecca of country music because of the building's fantastic acoustics? During our visit, we took advantage of both the self-guided regular tour and a special backstage tour, so that we could learn as much as possible about this important Nashville attraction. We really enjoyed both. If you would like to learn more about the Ryman Auditorium and of Thomas Ryman, try this link:

      rymanauditorium.com/history

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The Ryman Auditorium (formerly the Union Gospel Tabernacle).
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Portrait of Captain Thomas Ryman, who spearheaded the construction of the Union Gospel Tabernacle ( later named the Ryman Auditorium).
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The auditorium stage with the Grand Ole Opry backdrop. While the Opry officially moved to larger quarters in 1974, it still makes annual visits to the Ryman.
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1940's artist rendition of the crowds attending concerts at the Ryman.
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Glen Cambell backstage during his final tour.
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During our backstage tour, we were able to stand on the edge of the stage with the Grand Ole Opry backdrop...
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...and with the auditorium seats behind us.
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Bronze statues of Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff in the lobby, greet visitors to the Ryman.
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Minnie Pearls' famous hat (with the price tag still attached) and shoes that she wore in everyone of her appearances on stage.
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The Windows replicating stained glass were an addition during a later renovation project.
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Nashville

3/11/2016

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  Every month on this trip, it has been our custom to introduce to our followers some of those extraordinarily friendly people we have encountered along the way. Here is our list for Nashville;

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Rachel is the receptionist for the Country Musicians Hall of Fame. She took a great interest in our travels and made several suggestions about things we should try to see in Nashville.
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In an earlier post, we had mentioned that Jay McDowell, the Multimedia curator for the Country Musicians Hall of Fame, had invited us to join a private tour he was giving for 2007 Inductee Gene Chrisman. Here is Jay pointing to a picture of Chrisman standing behind Elvis during their recording session of "Suspicious Minds."
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The Ernest Tubb Record Shop is in the heart of the honky tonk section of Broadway. Gloria, who made us feel right at home, has been working in the store for 38 years.
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We ran into fellow Bostonians Hannah and Lauren at the Johnny Cash Museum.
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While touring the Ryman Auditorium, we met Lucy, a professional photographer.
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Fellow travelers Lyndis and Chris (from England) sat next to us at the Cafe Lula in the Ryman Auditorium complex. We enjoyed listening to their travel stories.
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Amy, the very friendly and helpful ticket seller at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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The extremely energetic and enthusiastic George provided us a fun-filled tour of RCA' s famous Studio B recording venue.
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While trying to figure out how to gain entrance to the Downtown Presbyterian Church (noted for its Egyptian style ache texture), we stopped into the Bed & Bunches Florist Shop next door and had a great conversation with Amelia.
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Stopping in at the Nashville Visitors Center on Broadway is a great place to gather information about what to see and how to get there. Rachel and Randy were very helpful.
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Dianne, Director of Communications for Christ Church Cathedral, provided us with a personal tour of this magnificent church with its Tiffany stained glass windows.
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Legends Corner

3/8/2016

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  Legends Corner is as much a museum and mecca of country music, as it is a bar. We had heard about this honky tonk venue from many locals, so when our paths crossed, it beckoned us to enter. What a place! The walls are covered with memorabilia; five original Elvis Sun Records 78rpms, a twelve string guitar autographed by Johnny Cash, along with copies of first albums by many of country music's "legends". Our senses where assailed by what was on the walls. There are antique juke boxes, unusual guitars, and record upon record. It was amazing! ... And entrance is free! Oh, if only the walls could speak!

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The Legends Corner bar was a place we just had to visit.
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Live music plays there all day long.
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Antique Wurlitzer juke box.
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Some of the memorabilia on the walls.
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Guitars made out of just about everything were all over the place.
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Even this six headed guitar.
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There also are a number of autographed guitars.
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Not sure why anyone would make a guitar out of a toilet seat, but we found one on the wall.
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Some of the many famous artists who have been in Legends Corner.
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Tennessee State Capital

3/8/2016

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Believe it or not, when we woke up today, who would have thought we would be visiting a place with bodies buried in the walls, as well as on the grounds? We are not talking about a cemetery, but rather a municipal building in the center of Nashville. The state capital building is home to the governor, the state legislature, and is a National Historic Landmark. Completed in 1859 on a hilltop overlooking the city, this building looks like a Greek Ionic temple, and was constructed using commercial, convict, and slave labor. Interestingly, while Tennessee produced three U.S. Presidents, only one, James K. Polk, is buried on the grounds. Self-guided tours allowed us to leisurely explore the building...although from time-to-time, we did listen in on a couple of school tours. We've visited a number of municipal buildings during our travels and would have to rate this one within the top ten.

   state capitals/Tennessee.org

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The Tennessee State Capital building is considered the crowning achievement of architect William Strickland's career.
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Monument to Medal of Honor winner, Alvin York ...a home town hero.
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Beautiful frescoed ceiling with one of only three original chandeliers.
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Informational plaque in the lobby.
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Civil War era photo of troops protecting the state capital.
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Artist rendition of the State Supreme Court Chamber within the capital building.
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The actual State Supreme Court Chamber is currently used for special ceremonies.
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Located in the reception area of the governor's office is this original state seal machine.
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The State Senate chamber as seen from the balcony level.
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The 99 member House of Representative chamber.
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During a particularly bitter debate over ratification of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1866, a disgruntled participant fired a bullet that chipped this handrail.
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Accomplished architect William Strickland designed the Tennessee State Capital building. This was considered his crowning achievement. As a tribute, the legislature had his body entombed within the walls at the north end of the building.
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At the south end of the building, Samuel Mogan, chairman of the Capital Building Commission, was entombed.
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The tomb of President James K. Polk is located in the east garden area.
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The Unexpected

3/4/2016

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  What a day! Little did we know, as we rode the number 26 bus into downtown Nashville, that our day would include spending time with a Hall of Fame musician. For the past few weeks, we have been tracing the roots of the Blues, Rock-n-Roll, and BlueGrass in Memphis and Nashville. Just about every attraction in both cities has a music connection. Our exploration of Nashville's "Musicians Hall of Fame" began with an unexpected and pleasant meeting. During our visit to this "...only museum in the world..." dedicated to the talents of the musicians behind the stars, we ran into Jay McDowell, the multimedia curator. After learning of our adventures, Jay invited us to join him while he showed some of the behind-the-scenes venues to a 2007 Hall of Fame inductee, drummer Gene Chrisman. Gene's career encompassed the heydays of such notables as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, Aretha Franklin and many others. Chrisman was a long-time member of the American Sound Studio's house band, originally known as the 827 Thomas Street Band, and later as the Memphis Boys, and performed in over 120 hit songs. What a great guy he is! Gene regaled us with stories of some of his memorable moments in his musical career, as if we had been friends forever. He was very comfortable talking with us as we walked around the museum. This chance meeting is the type of experience that has made our whole adventure wonderful. We loved every minute!

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The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is located downtown, next to the bus terminal.
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Jim Sherraden's Gibson Guitar sculpture of Chet Akins' "Country Gentlemen" electric guitar greets visitors as they enter the front lobby.
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The Fisk (University) Jubilee Singers' music was the basis for much of early Blue Grass and Country songs.
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Drummer, and 2007 Hall of Fame inductee, Gene Chrisman spent quite a bit of time with us talking about his career.
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He proudly showed us the exhibit that was being set up to display his contributions to music.
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Some of the BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) Certificates of Special Achievement awarded to musicians.
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The CBS Records Steinway and Sons studio piano.
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Recording equipment from Owen Bradley's Quonset Hut studio.
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Nature

3/1/2016

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Nature often has a way of surprising us with its exquisite beauty, either in the vibrant colors of its flowers, in the weather beaten faces of its mountain ranges, or in the stillness of a flowing creek through the woods. Throughout our adventures over these past 17 months, we have had the opportunity to experience some of these resplendent creations of nature, both here and abroad. Sharing some of those experiences would give us great joy. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

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The Boboli Gardens of Florence Italy.
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Bangkok, Thailand's Grand Palace gardens.
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Mother Nature seemed to have a sense of humor when creating this gnarly tree near St. Margaret's church in London.
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My personal favorite - the Hocking Hills caves in Ohio.
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In the hills overlooking Dubrovnik, Croatia, we found these trees trying to eke out an existence amongst the rocks.
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The Sutton North Woods of Howth, Ireland.
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One of the largest, and most diverse, Botanical Gardens we visited was in Montreal, next to the Olympic Park (built for the 1976 games).
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Part of the Arcadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine.
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Not far from the Alamo is a network of canals that connect the San Antonio River with a number of the missions built towards the east of the city.
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Jim Thompson, a silk entrepreneur, built a compound of teak houses and gardens in Bangkok, Thailand. This is part of that compound.
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The Alamo Plaza in San Antonio, Texas.
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While exploring the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland, we discovered this very peaceful creek in Dean's Village.
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The colors of the heather along the cliff walk in Howth, Ireland were spectacular.
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The diversity of Montreal's Botanical Gardens was amazingly beautiful.
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    Carl and Lorraine  Aveni are two retirees planning on traveling through Europe for at least one year.

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