Nashville’s Treasures

Nashville is fun, at least what we saw in a day and night.

It’s all about the music.  “The District” has every kind of music you could want.  Just walking down the street is like concert hopping.  It’s rowdy in a good way, and it was hopping — even on a Sunday evening.

One of its downtown gems is the original Grand Old Opry in Ryman Hall.  They say that only the Mormon Tabernacle has better acoustics — surpassing Carnegie Hall.  The building was built as a church, one of the first sites to have performances in the round.  It seats 2,000 on two levels and uses the original wooden seats.  The backstage tour takes you through the dressing rooms:  men’s, women’s, the headliner act, and the makeup room.  Along the way are cases with costumes, photos, mementos and plenty of history. The gift shop has unique stuff and a wealth of music on CD and DVD.  Our guide was an aspiring singer/songwriter, as perky and charming as a young Dolly Parton.  And if you’ve always wanted to make a record, just fork over $25 and sing your own CD.

Although the Ryman stages concerts and an annual Christmas series with the Rockettes, today’s Grand Old Opry is 20 minutes away in Gaylord Opryland Resort, a sprawling, hotel complex with over 2,000 rooms and 9 acres of spectacular indoor gardens.  It’s over the top like Vegas and ab fab with cascades, waterfalls, pools, exotic plants, and flower laden, green niches that make you want to run to the nearest garden center.

Here’s something impressive.  One of the largest downtown hotel parking lots gives free parking to the handicapped, with proper ID.  That’s the height of cool. 

Three cities in a row that make me want to return and explore:  Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville–probably way more to come.