Nashville and Opryland!

That's Me---Singing With Elvis On Broadway in Downtown Nashville

Last week I planned a surprise trip for Cindy, who has been a very good girl and deserved a treat from the man of her dreams....moi (insert blush here).

Going to The Ryman on Friday Night!

Downtown Nashville

Destination:  Nashville, AKA Music City.  Nashville is a pleasant 2 1/2 hour drive over Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau from Knoxville.

Icy Roads and a Little Snow Can't Keep Us From Nashville!

Me---In Our Hotel Lobby Before Going to the Opry

What a Handsome Couple!

I informed the dear lady of our trip on Friday morning at 10:00.  We departed our home at noon.  Nashville, HERE WE COME!

That's Me!...Minglin' With the Crowd in Tootsie's Orchid Lounge---Nashville's Most Famous Honky Tonk

Horsey Ride on Broadway, Anyone?

Downtown Nashville's Life and Casualty Tower

We arrived at our downtown hotel at almost 4:00, because we stopped on the way to eat.  We rested only a few minutes before heading downtown to the storied Ryman Auditorium for the 7:00 PM performance of the Grand Ole Opry. 

Honky-Tonkin' on Broadway

Our Restaurant

What a fantastic old building, full of the ghosts of legends past and present! I could feel the presence of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, and a hundred others.......

Atrium, Opryland Hotel

Opryland Hotel Atrium

We sat in the balcony.  Our seats were right on top of the action.  On this night, we saw Vince Gill, Bill Anderson, Ricky Skaggs, Jeanne Seeley, Del McCoury, Jean Shepard, Connie Smith, Riders of the Sky, The Whites, and more.  The performances were terrific!  The sound system is state-of-the-art, as one would expect, and the two-hour concert flashed past much too quickly.  We could have stayed all night!

The next day, the Cinderoo and I further explored Music City, prowling the vast---VAST expanse of the Opryland Hotel and walking for miles along Broadway's stretch of honky tonks. 

Flora and Indoor River, Opryland Hotel

We had dinner at a fantastic downtown restaurant named "Demos".
You're not gonna believe this, but our meal of delicious strip steak, lasagna, salad, spaghetti, bread, cherry cheesecake and drinks came to the grand total of $28.  I'm not kiddin'!

Opryland Flora

You won't believe this, either---we slept 12 hours when we finally got back to our room.  Aaaahhhhhhhhh.......

Opryland Atrium

We arrived home on Sunday afternoon, content in the glow of a wonderful venture along the Yellow Brick Road to the Land Of Oz.

Next Installment:  The Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry