Father's Day long weekend 2013

 Our Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for their wisdom in buying the condo we love so!!!  We loved our long weekend celebration at Daddy's favorite place.

                                                   Across the dunes for the first time this year...

                                                             We have arrived!!!!

                                                          Favorite feasting place....

                                        You scream I scream...We all scream for ice cream!!

                                                            Happy Father's Day

                                               Laptop PC--for travel and genealogy etc....

                                                Beach reading...great vantage point for the....

                                                                       kite flying

                                                           in the perfect ocean breeze.

                                                                   Beach set up

                                                                    Ah...the waves

                                                                 New entry to the pool...

                                           Results of beach walking...not in the plan---ouch!

                                                                Boardwalk favorite!

                                                  Setting up for some extreme competition.

Nashville is NICE

Our week started at the Opryland Hotel--

That evening we walked to the Grand old Opry and throughly enjoyed the show .

Before the show, we. . . 

Met Minnie

And Hank

And enjoyed the watershow in hotel atrium fountain later that evening

Checked out and took Taxi to check into downtown Marriott.   I didn't think it possible to find a town with more cowboy boots than Cheyenne but Nashville wins hands down!  Home of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Elvis' Gold Caddy and Gold Piano

George Strait's Hat

action shot of line dancing at the Wild Horse--wild!!

Shot of Wild Horse dance floor from 3rd floor--yes, wild horses do roam on the ceiling...

We learned the Nashville bus system for our travels the next 2 days--Hermitage and Centennial Park 

We had a nice mile+ hike back to bus stop.  

Venue 3 blocks from hotel where we saw Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart!!

Centennial Park's most visited site--the Parthenon.  Used in Percy Jackson movie

Props from movie

Joanie knows how to make friends--

Tour next day stated that the acoustics in the Ryman are second only to the Mormon Tabernacle

Evening walk around Ryman Auditorium

Concert that night--

Ricky Scaggs with Barry Gibb--even daddy sang along!

Elvis also played this piano while recording at Studio B.

Last day was punishing knowing our time was done--leaving Music City...
We found nice concerts, musuems, historic landmarks, exibits, and music everywhere.
But the niceness of everyone we met was best of all.  Nashville niceness is real.  To make it here, you have to be
Nice as well as talented.

Country Music Hall of Fame