A Night in the Smokeys

We say goodbye to Nashville today but not before raiding the local thrift stores for some bargains. After the last time camping we know that we can't share one sleeping bag so we're on the look out for an extra blanket so we don't freeze. We are distracted by all the shirts and shorts but we manage to find exactly what we need as well as numerous new outfits each, all for about $20...bargain! It's just as well we got a bigger car in New Orleans!

We have a lovely scenic drive to the Smokey Mountains National Park and enjoy watching the towns get smaller as we get closer. Suddenly, James slams on the brakes as a very happy looking dog sprints across the road in front of us. Christine has a look around and spots a dog washing business near to the road, that explains why: a) the dog was wet b) the dog was so happy to be running in the other direction!

When we get to the campground it's easy to find a spot to pitch up. The Park is beautifully green and as soon as we get the tent up we go off for a wander, finding a Nature Trail starting at the top of the campsite. We don't see many animals but its a lovely walk nonetheless and we enjoy the warmth of the Sun and the shade of the trees together.

 

It's a cosy evening together in front of our roaring fire as James drinks away the disappointment of losing at cards and 'Pick Up Pigs' (seriously - play it!) to Christine and she drinks to celebrate. We even get to use our Red Neck Firelighter from Wall Drug, although we're gutted that it doesn't explode.

Stetsons and Spurs at the Ready...It's Nashville

It made sense to stop in Nashville. It's on our route and it's bound to fun getting our Country on. We've got a nice cheap room in a house with two Russians who were so desperate to get out of their country they said they would have moved anywhere. Unfortunately for us, the house is quite far out of the city so we'll have to drive in.

We spend our first afternoon doing a bit of exploring. It really is Country music central here but not really the sort that we're keen on. We were hoping to stumble across some Johnny Cash-esque performers but it all seems a bit Taylor Swifty. Booo. We do see the Johnny Cash museum hidden down a side street so at least there'll be something we'll enjoy tomorrow.

A bit of research leads us to Printer's Alley, the historic nightlife district of the city. It was tiny! Surprisingly (or not) it did have an English pub amongst it's handful of bars. Time for a taste of home. Well, almost...American's can't make good chips, even in an English pub!

Day two and we make an early start (by our standards) to see what else we can find. There's free parking at the market so we start with a wander round the 'everything' market on our obligatory souvenir hunt before getting the shuttle bus down to the river. It's a gorgeously sunny Saturday and there's lots of people out enjoying it today, it even looks like we'll be treated to some live music as there's a stage set up in the middle of the street. We can hear and see the music just fine even though there's a wire fence around the street but still people are paying to go inside the area. Not us though, we're spending our (Johnny) Cash elsewhere...at the museum! The Cash Museum is great, full of really personal items that tell the story of his life and we learn a lot, especially about his film career which we didn't even realise existed! There's even a piece of his (now destroyed) lakeside house on display. After the museum we head back to Printer's Alley. The music in the street isn't so country but we miss 'N'Awleans' and Memphis so we head to a blues club in the Alley and spend a bit of time enjoying that and wishing we hadn't had to leave Memphis so soon!

The Million Dollar Quartet

School days for Master Cash

Who's that Man in Black down there?

Home comforts

Johnny Cash's choices for Greatest Hits vol 4

James has found that the State Capitol is free to have a wander round and is supposedly quite impressive inside so we head up a big hill for that only to find it's closed. We're not the only surprised ones as there's a family there too, walking round it looking confused. Well the Dad is, the rest of the family look a bit relieved! We replace it with a quick trip to the State Museum but it's not the most captivating of places and soon enough we're on the move again. We've been told that there's a replica of the Parthenon somewhere in the city so James wants to go and find it (well you have to, don't you?). It's a strange site seeing a piece of ancient Greece in Nashville, those Americans have some crazy ideas!

State Capitol Building

Greece? USA? Greece? USA?

There's a free music festival (not country!) on in same park as well as a craft fair so we have a bit of a wander, and soak up some evening sunshine then head back to the house via a trip to 'The Village Pub' for some delicious pretzel bread and cheese dip which makes us reminisce about Prague.