Tennessee to Mississippi

One amazing place we stumbled upon in Stanton,Virginia, was the Camera Heritage Museum!  Over 2000 antique cameras and accessories from 1850's to recent.  Camera buffs may want to visit www.cameraheritagemuseum.com.  In their collection is a camera that was used in a James Bond movie and another that photographed the bombing of Pearl Harbor from a Japanese aircraft.  They have spy cameras,Leicas and old wooden plate cameras, and over 150 daguerreotypes.  Quite an interesting diversion from the typical tourist trap!

Restaurant in old Stable

While at Candler (just outside Asheville, NC), we visited a Farmers market with huge vegetables! Had lunch at the Moose Cafe' next door.  We were NOT impressed with the lunch specials!  Not  like Mom's cooking or even mine!


Biltmore House

Veranda of Biltmore

 Visited the Biltmore House which was incredible!  255 rooms, 43 bathrooms, 4 floors, and a sub-basement where all the mechanical stuff was.  this house was built way ahead of most homes.  Sat on 80,000 acres of land.  There was an indoor swimming pool with diving board, changing rooms, a gymnasium, and of course all the servants' quarters.  We had a nice lunch in what used to be the stable and carriage house for their 25 carriages they kept for guests.  Guests at that time traveled far so would stay for a couple weeks at a time! 

Went to see the movie "2016".  Pretty comprehensive documentary of our President's life!  Everyone should see it!

From Candler (Asheville) we went to Pigeon Forge, TN.  Got to town on the day of their Rod Run and it took us an hour and a half to go the last 4 miles to the RV park.  We got their last space!  Older park, but people were nice.
 Pigeon Forge is "Hillbilly Disneyland", or like Orlando.  One show after another, of all sorts.  We went to see Dixie Stampede Dinner Show.  Horse show was ok, but didn't hold a candle to the Arabian Nights show we saw in Orlando, and the food was served with no utensils. ...part of the deal.  ( Whole game hen, cream soup, way over-cooked corn on cob, slice of oven roasted potato, biscuit, and apple turnover for dessert. )  This is photo of the one they took of us but we didn't want to spend $25 so copied it.  Everywhere we go they take your photo and want to sell them to you!

We rode the trolley around town( $.50 each for a ride), then got off and walked through the shops.  The streets were lined with hundreds of old cars, and while on the trolley we even saw a baby kangaroo on a leash!
Visited the Titanic Museum which was quite well done and very interesting.  No photos allowed!!!  Another bummer! Lots of remnants of the ship wreck, stories of the passengers, and replicas of parts of the ship, including the famous staircase!  Also a section on the salvage endeavors.

Where we saw the bear

The last day at Pigeon Forge, we drove the Cades Cove Tour.  11 mi loop through the forests where early settlers lived and worked.  Visited old cabins, and an old Grist Mill still working and visited with other tourists.  Saw a few wild turkeys, a couple deer, and caught a glimpse of a mama bear with 3 little cubs running through the woods and across the road ahead of a few cars ahead of us.  Too fast to get a photo!  :_(

propellar-driven car

enclosed motorcycle

From there to Nashville.  Went to Lane Motor Museum.  Over 150 Unique cars from around the world.  The VW with 2 fronts was designed for a Fire Dept in area with a lot of small roads with dead ends.  Driver could get out, get in back seat and drive forard to get out instead of having to back all the way!  There were cars run by propellars, foot pedals, cars with 3 wheels, some looked like motorcycles with enclosures, and one had no reverse.  Not needed, as it only weighed 220 pounds, so if you wanted to turn around, just pick it up and move it!  Really enjoyable to go through.  Have many photos, but won't post here.


Amphibeous car

220# with no reverse gear

 Of course in Nashville, we had to go to the Grand Ole Opry House!  Shows were really expensive, so we took Backstage Tour.  Got to walk through the empty place, saw the stars' dressing rooms, and stood on the famous oak circle where the stars stand to perform.  Pretty impressive place.


Opry House



One of star's dressing rooms

Had lunch at BB King's Restaurant in Nashville.  Great salads, and listened to good Blues while we ate lunch.  Guess the area is pretty hopping at night, but we chose to not do that to ourselves. 

John Beardsley does Elivs

Another night we went to see John Beardsley perform as Elvis.  Great costumes, Awesome band, and he tried really hard to move and sing like Elvis. Longest running musical performed in Nashville since 1999.  He included history of elvis, sang over 30 songs and had 5 costume changes.  He made a point to kiss every woman in the audience on the cheek.  He was so sweatty I almost got sick when he dripped all over me!  Guess I am getting old!   Enjoyed the show, but our daughter's friend Ray who used to be in Vegas was much more natural at it.

 Then on to Memphis, TN/Olive Branch, MS in search of my cousins, Maxine and her brother, Jimmy.  Hadn't seen them since they left Washington 50 years ago!   Maxine had lived in the area the last address I had gotten from my parents years ago.  We found an RV Park in Olive Branch (where we stayed this past week) and I continued to search the internet and facebook until I finally got someone to tell me they would get hold of her!  I was so excited, but had to wait til she called me.


Elvis's 15' couch in living room

 In the meantime, we were only a few miles from Graceland, home of Elvis Presley!  What an amazing home!  He was only 22 years old and single, after his first year of recording when he bought this home in 1957 for $100,000.  It is a gorgeous home, and still furnished with his things.  His studio, trophy room, costumes, gold, silver records, etc., all on display, along with room where you can watch him perform and hear his songs.  Went through his 2 private airplanes, and his car museum.  What a fun place!  Too bad his addictions caused him to die at only 42 years old.  Can't imagine how much more he could have done with his life had he not gotten into that.  Guess the stardom is a tough life.  He is buried in his meditation garden, along with his parents, grandma, and twin brother who died at birth. 

Next day was beautiful, so we chose to visit Mud Island, which is a River Park.  Amazingly detailed 5-block model of the Mississippi River . 

Sylvia & Maxine

Johnny & Maxine Mason

Sylvia, Robyn & Maxine

Then, I got the call from cousin Maxine!  We went to her home and met her and husband, Johnny, and while there, one of her 5 children, Robyn came with her husband, Shawn.  What an incredible visit we had!  She and I connected like we were still the kids (about 6 and 15?) 50 years ago.  She is an amazing artist, and has some of her work in an art show here.  Just started doing work with Japanese Rice paper (her mother was Japanese!).  She is being treated with Chemo & Radiation for 2nd round of ovarian cancer.  She had been free of it for a year and it came back.  Has been very ill, and God granted us this 5 hour visit where she was pain-free.  She doesn't know where brother Jimmy is, so search will continue for connecting with him.

Next day to Beale Street.  It was kinda rainy, so walked the  2-3 block area and looked in shops at souveniers, listened to music, and found the Rock N Soul Museum.  Were'nt sure we wanted to go, but not much else to do that day, and admission was $10 with military ID.  We were so glad we went!  It was several hours of history, music and enjoyment developed by the Smithsonian Institute!

I remember listening to "Green Hornet" on one like this

Families would only get 1 battery per year to use this radio, so were very selective in their listening!

A Chronology of pioneers who overcame barriers to creat the musical sound that changed the music world forever.  Elvis, Otis Redding, BB King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, etc.  Saw old costumes, posters, instruments, photos, and exhibits.

I think I am about blogged out for today.  Al took day to be on his own today, so I have had time to just work on this.  We both get a little overwhelmed being together 24/7 at times and have found this to be a good idea.  He asked if I wanted to go someplace, but not sure where to go without car to move on, and didn't want to just walk the mall today.  Nice to just be here with the kitties today.  Tomorrow, we will move on.  Not exactly sure where, yet, but are working our way to New Orleans.

All for now!  Hope all is well in your worlds.  Sylvia  & Al