Nashville, Tennessee
December, 2010
It was our 25th anniversary so Vi and I randomly picked a destination -- Nashville, Tennessee -- and hopped on a plane.

Our stay was short -- three days only -- so we didn’t experience Nashville, the "Music City", as much as we would have wanted. We did however get our fill of country music from Tim Watson on the General Jackson Showboat. But we also wanted to hear live music by the younger (and starving) musicians at downtown restaurants.

All the people we met in Nashville were very nice. The first area we happened to hit was the upscale part of town (at least to us). At a restaurant in the Green Hills Mall where we had our lunch (stores included Lacoste, Louis Vuitton, Brooks Brothers, Coach, Tiffany, Apple, and Dilliards among other expensive name-brands), I forgot I was only wearing a gray T-shirt -- an undershirt, really -- when I removed my jacket. Earlier I had removed my sweater leaving only my gray T-shirt on when it got hot at the airport. I was immediately conscious of my appearance what with being surrounded by fashionably dressed diners, but no one not even the waiter seemed to mind. People around us were generally very trendy in clothing, etiquette, and conversation -- some were suited for business -- but none appeared to be snobs.

At another restaurant later in the evening we received the same warm welcome and treatment. Our waitress came back time and again to make sure were doing fine and refilled our drinks withoug asking. And also the following day we were accorded great service during breakfast at a pancakes restaurant. I don’t think we looked touristy but we were graciously treated wherever we went in Nashville.

Later I found out that "food figures highly in the south" and that "as early as 1835", "the poor quality of taverns in the south" gave southerners the "willingness...to provide for strangers." As Vi and I planned to splurge only on food on our anniversary (we fasted on our diets before going on the trip), we believe we have come to the right place.

We may not have experienced Nashville at its fullest, but we certainly received more than what we came for. We received a healthy dose of what is popularly known as true southern hospitality.

 Click on a picture to enlarge.
We flew at sunrise. Vi took this picture.
Clouds from our window seat. Vi took this picture.
The Parthenon -- a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Greece -- was built in 1897 to commemorate Tennessee's 100th year since its entry into the union in 1796. Vi took this picture.
A replica of the Parthenon was chosen because Nashville calls itself,
Park in front of the Parthenon.
The Parthenon frieze is very intricate. It's hard to imagine this was only meant to be temporary.
Vi and I at Parthenon.
Lights at the Parthenon.
The Bicentennial Mall State Park (just three miles away from Centennial Park and less than a mile from downtown Nashville) was opened in 1996 to commemorate the 200th year of Tennessee.
The Bicentennial Mall State Park has many paths on which to walk.
Early morning at Bicentennial Mall State Park. The park was
Columns at Bicentennial Mall State Park.
General Jackson Showboat. Vi took this picture.
It was a cold day in Tennessee. No one wanted to sit on the upper deck. Vi took this picture.
Cumberland River. Vi took this picture.
In addition to the show, the river cruise included lunch.
As you can see, we were in the company of mostly retirees. Our lunch included one of the tour bus drivers and, we suppose, one of the tour guides. When we told them it was our 25th anniversary, they couldn't believe it. The bus driver quipped maybe we married when we were 13.
View from Tier 2. We sat on Tier 1. Vi took this picture.
Me. Vi took this picture.
Vi.
Tim Watson performing on the General Jackson Showboat.
Vi watching.
Soon it was time to go. Almost everyone came by tour bus.
We passed by Nashville National Cemetery and stopped to take pictures. The cemetery was established after the Civil War. Over four thousand unknowns are buried there. (source: wikipedia.org)
Before taking this nighttime shot of the Bicentennial Mall State Park, we drove around looking for a closer view of the Nashville skyline. We passed a police car parked on the curb with its lights on. We passed it again when we made a u-turn before finally settling on a spot. While setting up my tripod--my wife in the car parked on the road with the hazard lights on--the police car pulled over. I approached the cop and asked, “Is it OK to take pictures? Maybe just for two minutes?” The cop smiled saying, “Yes. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need any assistance.” Before driving off he added—as if sensing I’m from New York, “We allow people to take pictures.”
We had some time to kill before our flight home. So we went to Percy Priest Lake.
Marina at Percy Priest Lake. Vi took this picture.
J. Percy Priest Dam. Vi took this picture.
Tree at J. Percy Priest Dam.
We flew home sunset. Vi took this picture.
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