JUST US AND THE BUS: 11/06/07

We decided to jump on a tour bus to get a real look at downtown Nashville as well as the homes of the Country & Western icons who live here. Gray Line was a little pricey, so our neighbor Rae called up "Tommy's Tours" and found they did tours for 1/3 the price! Well, Tommy picked us up at the campground in a nice 25 seat bus and off the four of us went. We soon found out the driver (Tommy) was also the receptionist, booking agent, navigator, commentator and complaint department! He started by finding out where each patron was from and we proceeded on a very informational and crazy tour. Tommy was a never ending story teller who only put down his microphone long enough to answer his cellphone for a new rider or open the bus door to ask the poor pedestrian nearby if they had any grey poupon mustard! Not having much use for red lights, Tommy navigated downtown Nashville in a unique way but did keep the bus in one piece. We saw the Grand Ole Opry (Ryman Auditorium), the Honky Tonk district, old Nashville (called The Print District) which was notorious during prohibition, the Grand Union Train Station, The batman building, otherwise known as Nissan Headquarters,

as well as the Crazy Horse Saloon and Coyote Ugly Bar. We then left for the wealthy suburbs and saw homes owned by Minnie Pearl, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks & Tricia Yearwood, Ronnie Brooks (Brooks & Dunn), Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman, Martina McBride, Dolly Parton, LeAnn Rimes, Johnnie Cash's husband-in-law, and others we can't remember. It turns out Tommy has met most of the C&W stars and they are for the most part kind, courteous and eager to please their fans (just like Hollywood - right?). Tommy got us back to Two Rivers Campground safely (bless his heart) and we have attached the photos we got to the blog.

The next AM Jane and I went for a walk around the block which ended being a five mile jaunt. After lunch Ernie, Rae, Jane and I went back downtown to do some shopping and honky-tonk stopping. The taverns on Broadway almost all have big stages with live music, and each group sounds good enough to make it big, just looking for that big break. We toured the Charlie

Daniels museum which was really awesome, more memorabilia than can be seen anywhere. We had supper at the Hard Rock cafe, and then went to the Sommet Center where the Country Music Awards are being held on Wednesday nite (Nov. 7). Outside the Sommet a big crowd was forming and we were treated to a free concert by the Phil Vassar Band. He has a ton of big C&W hits and he played them all even though the temp. was dropping to freezing. We made it home safe and slept like rocks after an active day. Unfortunately, Ernie & Rae are leaving today to visit their daughter in Memphis, but we are sure we will see them again somewhere in this great country.

Signing off for now, Bill & Jane