Nov 20 - 27: Tennessee

 So Thanksgiving week was all setup.

1. Gene would fly in on Sunday and meet me in Knoxville.
2. We would explore for 2 days and then move on to Nashville
3. Meet up with Chris and have thanksgiving at the Liz's place and party in Nashville
4. Move on to Memphis and get the blues..

It all worked as planned.

We had a great - if hectic - time.

Knoxville surpassed expectations - but only due to an uber driver that came to pick us up the second time round because 'there ain't too many people called Kees in this area' (and we tip well).  We discovered a great rooftop bar, some live music, but nothing great and had a lovely lunch at Calhoun's on the river and a walk afterwards.  

Also did a great walk along the Tennessee river and through the Ijams marble quarry that started Knoxville.

In Knoxville town square

Decorations at our Campsite

Our walk in the marble quarry.

After lunch walk on the river

Our open-mic band at the Scruffy City bar

On to Nashville - a cacophony of sound - it just blasts from everywhere on Broadway.  Gene and I were there for the first night on our own and had a blast. Ended up in a bar with a band that was excellent - paid for too many requests, bought the band tequila shots, danced and had a great time.

 

Roof top bar somewhere with the strip below

Some crazy Brits - been coming for 14 years..

Girl has her dancing shoes on

Chris arrived and we immediately dragged him out to the strip.  The 'tour guide' - Gene - decided we needed to go to the Station Inn tavern - well recommended by one and all.  We walked past the JW Marriott - a beautiful building with a bar on the top floor.  Went up for a drink and had an awesome view of Nashville.  Ended up the Station Inn only opened at 7 and the band only started at 9 - which was waaay past our bedtime, so we headed back.  Walked past a bar where a great band was playing, stood in the window and listened and was invited in by the people at the table.  Climbed through the window and got entertained by a great band - no idea who.

RobC on base and TimB (without beard) on lead!!!

Next day was rest and recreation.  The KOA campground was great - Hot tub, pickle ball, etc. until it was time to head to Franklin for Thanksgiving dinner with Vic's parents - Liz and Steve and granny Gug, Eddy and James.  A great fun night was had by all.  Thanks to the Moi's.  On Thursday Chris started feeling a bit sick... and skipped on a great Thanksgiving dinner.

Black Friday we packed up, skipped the queues at the malls and headed for Memphis.  The RV park - Tom Sawyers RV park - what else... was on the Mississippi river which was awesome, but also on the West Memphis side (Arkansas) side of the river, so a bit isolated - no uber.  We decided to rent a car and lucked out by getting a Nissan double-cab - what else.  All worked out really well.  We went to visit the 10th largest pyramid in the world - a Bass Pro Shop that Chris new about... Lunch was spent at BB Kings bar listening to the best blues I have heard since Bob and Tom...  I was starting to feel a bit down.

 

The mighty Mississippi - at record low levels...

Tom Sawyer RV park

Low low levels

10th tallest pyramid

Sunday morning the tour guide had organized us a 2 hour bus tour of Memphis (shorted time to see/learn the most).  I was masked up, but we had a great time.  Memphis has a crazy history... real river town with mafia, yellow fever epidemics (200 people per day were dying in Memphis in the late 1800's - so much that they decertified it as a city as there were not enough people left).

In any case, saw the I am a Man memorial, where MLK was shot, at some great bbq and drank too much.

Saturday evening I opted to stay at the RV and Gene and Chris hit the town.  Great music and good times was had by them.

Blues

Beale Street

Gene - artistic license

Sunday afternoon I dropped off Chris at the airport, Gene was staying at a hotel at the airport for an EARLY flight on Monday and I headed home to the RV.  Serious fever and not feeling myself.

Gene got home on Monday, tested positive for covid and so now both of us are snotty, feverish and sore throats - but at least we are boosted, so it should not be too bad.

As for the dogs - we put both of them in the kennel with instructions that Stanley needs to be incorporated into the daily playgroup (for which we would pay $$$) so that he can adjust to normal living.  Unfortunately he failed the intake test and they decided he is not suitable to play with the other dog.  Milo was a star however.

 So be it.

Nahant to Knoxville - 11 Nov - 19 Nov

So had Chris to help me get out of the yard... yes, I paid $$$ to widen the gate at the bottom of the garden by 1 ft just so it would be slightly less nerve wracking to get the RV into the garden.  Did lots for the life expectancy - no more worrying about the RV, about getting in/out if the gate, etc.

Left Nahant on Friday afternoon at about 3.  Gas was $3.60 per gallon, maar daar gaan ons... 

Planned on getting way past Hartford CT on the first night, but in the end the remnants of tropical storm Nichole hit and I pulled into a rest stop somewhere before Hartford in torrential rain.  The fact that there were already 4 other RVs (mostly Canadians) and lots of trucks was a sign that this was as far as I was going tonight.  First night in a rest stop, and it worked out fine.  Did not let the slides out, so smaller space, but it was warm and everything worked out well.  

Next morning it was still raining, but by 10 I had driven out from under the storm.  Saturday was at a Cracker Barrel in Chambersburg, PA.  My first dinner and sleep-over at a Cracker Barrel... and although I thought I had gotten covid, as I could not taste the meal, it was $12 total (dry county so no beers) and staying in the carpark was free - if right next to I81 and it sounded asif the 16 wheelers were passing right next to me.

Sunday I arrived at Natural Bridge Campground. We had stayed over here in 2008 when we did the circle tour of America.  Was exactly the same - great KOA campsite, even though there were only 4 other campers.  Temperatures also started plummeting.  Forecast for the evening was below freezing and for the week ahead it was just going down further.

Natural Bridge KOA campsite.

Luckily I had bought 2 rolls of insulation before I left home, so I could insulate the front area -which does not have double glazing.  It helped a lot.  Had to disconnect the water hose and put a 150Watt lamp in the water bay to keep it from freezing.

Monday morning, and every morning that week, was COLD.  By 9 it would get above freezing and then maybe hit 45 by 2pm.  Luckily I had a space heater as well as a small fan heater that actually makes the coach too hot.  I needed the propane basement heating to come on every now and then to heat the basement - where the water tanks, etc are so they do not freeze.

After a week of working there, I at least got out to Lance's country store - which was full of 'expired' MAGA hats and 'Dont tread on me' flags.  I did want to make some comment on the fact that they now need the MAGAGA hats, etc. as this is a new era, but instead just bought some home made whiskey and moved on.  Also cycled to the actual Natural Bridge arch - it is just big.

Weird place along the way

Awesome

A highway actually runs across the top

Saw a very cold blesbok along the way...

Biggest change with traveling this time round is that with the temperatures being so low, no one comes out of their RVs - so everything feels very desolate.

For the next weekend, it was another marathon drive to get to Knoxville in time to meet the bride who was flying in from the far North to meet me for Thanksgiving.  One night stop over in a great state park in the middle of nowhere, and then on to Knoxville.

Warrior Path State Park, TN

A cold morning

The open road

 

Visiting Gina in Mexico City!

 Mexico City is unlike anything I've been to. But before I elaborate...Gina is living there until June 2023, the proud recipient of a scholarship that allows her to live and work there and absorb all that this city has to offer- and which allows her parents to have the perfect reason to visit. 

And we timed our visit well: Mexico celebrates The Day of The Dead; It takes place the last week in October into the first week of November. For those of you you who have seen the Bond movie Spectre, you will remember the opening scene. For those of you who have not seen it... (Daniel Craig is always a wonder to observe.).. but so is the first 10 minutes opening scene, which takes place during this holiday on the Mexican calendar. More to follow. 

We arrived late, booked into our hotel in the Historic District,  rested up  and spent the rest of the following  day with Gina and Jack.  As the "expert traveler" to Mexico City, in my small group of Kees and I, I could not wait to share this city with Kees.

Our first day was in Coyoacan, a trendy, busy, and lovely neighborhood that among other things is where Frida Kahlo's house is located. We met Gina and Jack there and sipped a great coffee called Cafe De Olla.

 

BUT: our second day took place far out of the city, at the Totalongo Caves. On Gina's recommendation, we all went on a wonderful, no:  spectacular-  outing to the Totalongo Caves. We left at 6am, bundled ourselves into a group with 8 other people in a white van , and off we went with Daniel as our remarkable tour guide.And just a quick side-bar here: He was fantastic. He led and served and organized and managed and taught and shared information

with  all of us in a kind and professional

manner, paid attention, facilitated great food,  and allowed us to experience this remarkable natural wonder unrushed, unforced...(I had an odd moment where I could see myself  as an old lady, in buses doing trips, no responsibility,with the only thing I needed to do was be back at the van at the appointed time.) Such a great day. And yes, it felt like I was going to drown going into the caves, but hey, I didn't. We all came out of the caves, the pools, the beauty, and arrived back in CDMX( city center) by 9pm.

(The idea of not having, or having to take,  responsibility, is a very cool one). 

So--- on to the next few days during the Day of the Dead  week in CDMX. 

We spent hours walking the streets of the city. At Zocalo, aka Palace De Constitution, we saw the beautiful and HUGE Catrinas. They were representative of all the different counties/states in Mexico, and  truly impressive and somewhat sinister. 

On the main road through the city, Reforma, we we treated to a spectacle of art, structures representing the Alebrijes. Alebrijes are spiritual guides.These were made of paper,  wood,  colors and imagination....

Also along the Reforma, the huge skulls that have become such a popular emblem of this week. 

But separate from the art surrounding the Day of the Dead festivities, the street art in Mexico City is an example of how cities can incorporate art as an everyday beauty. Sculptures and murals everywhere.

And of course, us getting into the spirit: getting our faces painted by the street artists.

We stayed in the historic District, spitting distance to the Palacio De Bella Artes. It is situated right next to the Alameida Park, the oldest park in CDMX. Marble walkways, fountains, people dancing salsa dance at sunset, chess players, Diego Riviera's famous mural,  mango's, fresh fruit everywhere. The mangoes are cut up carefully by the vendor, then covered with a chili sauce and lime, with some tajine on the cup edge. 

Street food, pan de Muerto ( Bread of the Dead) and only baked during this week),

stunning restaurants in the upscale neighborhood of Roma Norte- the food is really wonderful and so affordable.

And the markets! Gina took us to Lagunilla Market. You can spend days here, and buy everything you may ever need. Art, thrift clothing, new clothing, books, household goods, art...

A lovely day together.

When you go there make sure to do the outing to the Monument of the Revolution.  Stunning structure. And a great place to view the city from. Pics.Also do not miss The Biblioteca Vasconcelos. Hanging stack of books. And the residents of CDMX read! Bookstores everywhere, book stands, even a book auction.The Castillo De Chapultepek is worth every step you take to this royal palace. Stained glass, hanging stairways, and a lovely and accessible way to learn about this culture and history. And I wonder why the Meso- American history is so neglected in our schools. It is a gap in my education for sure. Aztecs, Tolmecs...it is so rich and colorful and as most of our human history is, very violent. 

The Castillo  is in the  Chapultepek Park, which is 3 times bigger than Central Park. It contains miles of walking space, fabulous plants and  trees, a royal castle, and really provides a great escape from the city , which contains 27 million people... one of the 3 mega-cities in the world.

Gina is doing great, enjoys her job, loves her apartment and roommates, and is in our humble opinion, pretty fluent in Spanish. It was a gift to visit her and see her in her surroundings! 

(Oh, did I mention art everywhere?)