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.