Nashville, Day Three

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Stats:
Nashville, Day Three

After a bit of a sleep in and leisurely coffees, we helped Danny and Susan cast-off and watched as they headed back down the river.  Now we were the lone boat on the courtesy dock in downtown Nashville.  We would have preferred some company.

Later in the morning Cindy and Grant from the boat As the Crow Flies picked us up in their rental car.  We drove out to see the "new Grand 'ol Opry" (bit of an oxymoron) and the huge hotel near it.  The hotel is amazing.  It is several buildings joined together by large glass roofs to make acres of indoor gardens, restaurants, water features etc.  There are little streams and waterfalls and oodles of beautiful plants and even a little boat full of tourists running on an underwater track.  Obviously tourism is alive and well in Nashville.

We walked the local mall (been awhile since I've been in a mall) and then Grant asked if anyone would like to check out the Bluebird Cafe, which is a very popular spot out of the downtown area where new and upcoming artists break into the scene.  ME, ME!!!  I had read about it and was dying to go.  Many of the big names in country music got their start there (I'm not a big country music fan but, "when in Rome.....").  We found it in an unassuming strip mall but unfortunately it was closed. While we were there just reading the material on the window several cars drove up, one after the other, with folks getting out just to get their picture taken in front of it.  Some day I will get back to this town and check out the music scene off the beaten track.

It was Cindy's birthday so, with all of us being in dire need of refreshments, we headed to the main street and settled in to a busy honky-tonk to listen to some live music and quench our thirst.  They got poor Cindy to stand up on the dance floor so the whole place could sing happy birthday. (I don't know how they knew it was her birthday.  Perhaps Jeff does???)   It was such a fun vibe that we ended up spending the whole afternoon there helping Cindy celebrate her birthday.

A few minutes after we got back to the boat, BC and John, from Sandpiper pulled in.  It was so nice to see them!  We were just getting ready to head back to the main street to walk the few blocks to the Bridgestone Arena, where the Nashville Predators play.  It was the season opener tonight and they were playing the Ottawa Senators.  BC and John were eager to join us so off we went.  We had okay seats and enjoyed the game, even if I did drop my hard-earned sausage upside on the floor before I even got a bite!! (3 - 2 Predators)

                                                               Oh Canada!!  Everybody sing!! ...oh, ok then, just us.

                                      BC and John are somewhere over there.

Tomorrow we'll cast-off, turn around and make the two or three day trip back down the river to the Kentucky Lakes again.  They are predicting several rainy days, so perfect for travelling.