The first stop in Nashville was the Grand Ole Opry, which is actually just north of Nashville; we did the back stage tour which was cool. We got to see the Opry stage, and the dressing rooms that all the country stars use, as well as where they pick up their mail when they are performing there. It was interesting to see the place where so many stars have performed through the years, and it was amazing to see how the Opry recovered following the storms off last year. Looking at the area today it’s hard to believe that the water could do so much damage, but it certainly did as evidenced by the huge mall outside the Opry that is still closed and not due to be opened until next spring. The Opry was reopened in less than five months after the floods and it looks amazing. It would have been cool to see a show but there weren’t any on the day we were there. The stage was all set up for Christmas though as some holiday show was being filmed while we were there; I didn’t see anybody I recognized though. The tour was fun but I don’t know that it was worth the money as it was really short; $30.00 (after discount) is pretty steep for a half-hour tour.
After the Opry we headed into downtown Nashville and had a wander. I wasn’t that impressed with the city, it’s just another city on the Cumberland River, and was super touristy. There was a lot of karaoke going on and loads of cowboy boot stores. We went into French’s boot store where there were hundreds to choose from; they had a good deal going on too, buy one pair and get two free, trouble was we couldn’t afford the $699.00 for the first pair!
We did Nashville and headed home. I’m glad we went to visit but I much prefer the small towns to the big cities; almost all the cities we’ve visited so far have not lived up to expectation and the little towns are much cooler and more real.
Mike: They wouldn’t let me sing!
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