December 13th - Franklin, Nashville, & the Bluebird Cafe!!

December 13th - Franklin, Nashville, & the Bluebird Cafe!!

Where to begin?

We had a fun-filled, action-packed day, starting with a trip to Downtown Franklin, just 21 miles south of Nashville, for their Heritage Foundation's "Dickens of a Christmas". Mark had seen this advertised online and we included it in our plans. It was a splendid street fair with attractions that were punctuated by people dressed up as characters from Dickens' various books.

Mark with Fagin

  


 

We met Fagin, the Cratchit Family, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and none other than Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, himself, who gave me what for after I dared to wish him a Merry Christmas!! 

There were others dressed in period costumes along with performances from various musicians and entertainers.

 

The various goodies on display were a feast for the eyes.

   

We spent nearly 45 minutes watching a blacksmith making a gold leaf key ring from scratch. He told us that he was one of approximately 600 Smithies left in the U.S. who make things from the raw materials to the finished article. We ended up buying the key ring which coat a mere $8.00!

  

I forgot to mention - the temperature reached 74 degrees today, so we were back in shorts and t-shirts, which felt great. We even noticed some blossoms on one of the trees! A local woman was telling someone that new leaves started to grow towards the end of October! Go figure!!





 Mark even stopped to smell the roses!! 



After spending a couple of hours there, we headed back towards Nashville passing some amazing properties on the way. 

  

Parking for free on Broadway, in Downtown Nashville, we walked around the 'District' stopping to listen to live music emanating from so many venues. The thoroughfare was bustling with folks from all walks of life, and the aromas of so many different culinary dishes wafted into our nostrils, begging us to partake in the available gastric pleasures! Eventually we gave in, finding a bar with live music and basket food which satisfied our palettes. 

     

We found the Grand Ole Opry and took the customary pics of the exterior. Then, to our total surprise, we discovered that the Country Music Hall of Fame was offering free entry - just for today! ! Obviously we were not going to let that pass. .....so, in we went. 

 

An hour or so later, we emerged with a deeper appreciation for the artistry and perseverance of so many musicians who made it to the top - sometimes against all odds. We especially liked the exhibits dedicated to Trisha Yearwood and Keith Urban. 

Elvis' gold piano

   

Looking at the time, we knew we had to leave and travel a few miles south again to reach the Bluebird Cafe where we were hoping to take in a performance of new and upcoming Country artists. The doors were due to open at 5.00 p.m. and the performance an hour later. The one hour wait to ensure we had seats (they could only cater for 80) was well worth it. .. especially as we were able to grab a table for two, front and centre!!!

   

The Wisherkeepers are a duo originating from Australia (like Keith Urban), and they entertained us for an hour with their new, unheard material. We loved every song and were more than happy to part with  $20.00 to get their C.D., and we're looking forward to listening to it again on our way down to Florida tomorrow.

The Wishkeepers

December 12th - Cincinatti, then on to Nashville

December 12th - Cincinatti, then on to Nashville

While in Cincinatti, we wanted to take a look at the river front walk which follows the Ohio river for about 5 miles. We didn't have time to cover the whole length of it, as we also wanted to visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre.


Impressed by what they had done to the riverfront area, with its life sized chess set and checkers board, its bench swings, and numerous activities for children, we spent some time taking it in, noticing the personal touches along the way. At a balmy 18 degrees, we couldn't believe how warm it was - even the breeze had an early Fall feel to it. Although it was overcast, it felt great to be outside in short sleeves again!

We loved the sentiment on this sign among the paving stones

We strolled along to the suspension bridge and crossed over the river into Covington, Kentucky. The John Roebling Suspension Bridge, linking the two cities, was the first one to be built over the Ohio River.


On the way over, a woman, who was in the middle of her morning run, told us about a picturesque historical area on the banks of the Kentucky side of the river, so we decided to pay it a quick visit as it was so easily accessible. The area was reminiscent of our time in Savanna, a couple of years ago.The buildings were beautifully preserved by the current inhabitants, and the tasteful decorations added to the ambiance of this historic district.

   
   


 It was also good to see some colour in the leaves as we thought we'd seen the last of the Fall just a few weeks ago! 

 

As well, it afforded us some really good views of Cincinnati from the other side.
 

We were pleasantly surprised to see a connection between Covington and John James Audubon - especially as we have made use of many of the publications under his name in our exploration of nature. 

 

Making our way back to the Ohio side of the river, we arrived at the museum just before it opened. The familiar story of slavery in early U.S. history was presented with the emphasis placed upon the perseverance and bravery of those individuals who escaped, or helped the escapees on their journey to freedom.

 

Slave Pen - used to keep slaves until their auction

Manacle used for keeping slaves chained

It was a little disconcerting to be reminded of how our inhumanity towards others still raises its head albeit in different guises, as the exhibits about modern day human trafficking portrayed. When we see evidence of people who are out of alignment with whom they really are, it serves to remind us of the importance of spreading as much compassion and love as we can in our small way. We spent about 3 hours in the museum, and realized that we could have spent all day there.

Some modern workers for freedom

Although it's true that Canada has had its problems, we felt proud of the part our country had played in the Underground Railroad movement. 

                               

Just outside of the museum, there was a memorial to the Berlin Wall, with part of the wall on display. 

Cincinatti - Nashville

Leaving Cincinatti, with the promise-to-self to return one day to see more of this picturesque city, we made our way over to Kentucky, which struck us as a state that would be awesome to visit in the summer when the leaves are still on the trees. The terrain is quite hilly and there was an abundance of farms and small ranches to take in. 

Feeling fortunate to have missed most of the road works of which we had been warned, we enjoyed the four hours it took to reach Nashville, Tennessee, and we're looking forward to exploring this city over the next two days. 

Afternote...

When we arrived at the hotel, we were informed that the boiler had burst and that they had arranged for us to stay in another hotel (in the same chain) near to the airport, 6 miles away. It's not the best hotel, but it is a place to lay our head, the linen is clean, and the bed comfortable, so we drifted off to sleep with a feeling of appreciation for those comforts, knowing that there are so many out there who lack even those basic needs!

December 11th - Destination: Cincinatti, Ohio

December 11th - Destination: Cincinatti, Ohio

West Lorne, Ontario - Cincinatti, Ohio

                                       

After spending time with family and friends over the last few days, we began our journey south to Panama City, Florida, for our two-week house sit. We crossed the border at the Ambassador Bridge from Windsor to Detroit. 

Downtown Detroit, from the Ambassador Bridge

It was probably one of the easier border crossings - the only 'glitch' being the temporary inability to remember the last three digits of our licence plate number! A pleasant customs officer smiled benignly and waived us through without further ado.





This first part of the journey was uneventful as we traveled through mainly flat countryside in Michigan and most of Ohio until we hit Dayton, when the flatness gave way to a more hilly terrain. The roads were excellent and the weather superb for traveling. 




We stopped at a Tim Hortons (had to give it a try) just north of Dayton. They are billed as Cafe and Bake Shops in the U.S. and you can tell you're in the States because of the very high bill boards. This one is a little blurry, but you'll get the idea. They are great because they can easily be seen from the highway. 





We love these road trips where we talk about our plans, about how fortunate we feel to have so many awesome friends, and always appreciating the scenery through which we pass. It also gives us a chance to listen to Christmas songs on the radio, as well as some of the CD's we have brought with us. 







We're staying overnight in Cincinatti before moving on to Nashville for 2 nights. It feels good to be back in the good old U.S. of A!