Nashville 2015

 We are awed by the scenery on the Cumberland River, each twist and turn offering gifts of nature. 

 

 

 

 

 Soon, the impressive skyline of downtown Nashville comes into view.

 

 

 

 

 The AT&T Building is a stand-out!  At 617 feet, it boasts Tennessee's tallest building.

Can you guess why it is locally known as the "Batman Building"?

 

 

 

 

 

 Spiritus' grateful crew is excited to be moored at Nashville's City Dock for 5 nights . . . . .

   

 . . . . . and Spiritus definitely has a front row seat for her crew to explore from!

 

 

 

 

 

 Only steps away from the train station, Spiritus is also across the river

from the Tennessee Titan's football stadium. 

 

 

 

 

 

 It doesn't take long for the First Mate to find a specialty ice cream store . . . . .

   

. . . . . nor for the Captain to take the stage in the Music City! 

 

 

 

 

 And music was definitely the theme for the week with live entertainment morning, noon, and night!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We had perfect weather every day.  Enjoyed seeing the capitol building each time we walked to the city bus station.

  

 General Jackson suggested we ride a horse but the city bus was quite dependable!

 

 

 

 

 

These "Red Hat Ladies" enjoy a carriage ride down 2nd Avenue.  We could hear their delightful giggles from across the street.

 

 

 

 

With music on every corner, there is always a boot-scootin' party!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Opryland Gaylord Hotel was absolutely the most beautiful, opulent resort imaginable. 

  

 The colorful walkways and conservatories reminded us of Hawaii!

 

 

 

 

 

 No visit to Nashville is complete without a visit to the Grand Ole Opry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We had fabulous seats in the balcony for our concert featuring many talented artists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We were honored to hear sounds from popular original performers like Bill Anderson . . . . . 

 

 

. . . . . as well as the modern sounds of more recent performers like Randy Owens from Alabama. 

 

 

 And the headliner, Martina McBride, took our breath away!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every evening we would return to our Spiritus, happily exhausted, after a full day of fun! 

 

 

 

 

 

 And every morning we would depart our Spiritus, enthusiastically anticipating more fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 Who knew that Nashville is the home of the first combination candy bar, the South's oldest treat and a nourishing lunch?! 

 

 

 

 

  

 



 Election to the Country Music Hall of Fame is country music's highest honor ... the First Mate was NOT inducted! 

 

 

 

 We can thank Sam Phillips for his vision, identifying musicians that were extraordinarily unconventional at the time.

 

 

 

 

 This rotunda inspires reverence for the deepest roots of music.

 

 

 

 

 

 This special exhibit gave us an appreciation for the influence these iconic musicians had on each other. 

 

 

 

 

 Really?  And we thought playing an ordinary guitar was challenging!!

 

 

 

 

 The Captain recognizes many of these platinum and gold albums.  He even owns several! 

 

 

 

 

 Broadway offers dozens of rooftop bars and we managed to indulge in several.

The music, the views, and the brew were all top-shelf! 

 

 

 

 

 The General Jackson is the world's largest sternwheeler showboat.

It can accommodate 1,100 guests and a crew of 100. 

 

 

 

 

Broadway is a hub of activity at night and music can be heard in every block on the boulevard!

 

 

 

 

 

 We listened to this amazing band at Honky-Tonks and were lucky enough to hear them again at Tootsies.

This renowned bar is where many musicians who played at the Ryman would go after their performance. 

 

 The neon lights added to the ambiance on Broadway!

 

 

 

 

 

 Jack's is a favorite local Bar-B-Que restaurant where lots of celebrities eat!

 

 

 

 

 

The Ryman Auditorium, built in 1892, is Nashville's premiere performance hall.

 It has attracted world class entertainment to its stage for more than a century.

 

 

 

 

 Thomas Ryman, a riverboat captain and Nashville businessman, attended a revival by famed traveling evangelist, Sam Jones.  He was instantly converted and decided to raise money for a permanent place for Jones to preach.  Originally called the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, it was renamed Ryman Auditorium upon the Captain's death in 1904.

 

 

 

 

The Ryman's beautiful curved pews, famous stained glass windows and world-renowned acoustics has earned it recognition as the "Carnegie Hall of the South".

 

 

 

 

 

 In 1943 the Grand Ole Opry Radio Show started broadcasting from the Ryman every Saturday night.  In 1974, the Opry moved to a new, larger location but returns occasionally to The Ryman.

The Ryman has since gained fame as the "Mother Church of Country Music".

 

 

 

 

  

 Lifetime friends, Scott & Denise Rhoads from South Carolina, joined us for an evening of merriment!

 

 

 

 

A short bus ride took us to Vanderbilt University and beautiful Centennial Park.

 

 

 

  

 

This full scale replica of The Parthenon was originally built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial.

  

 The Parthenon gave Nashville the reputation as the "Athens of the South".

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the Parthenon, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, stands over 42 feet tall.

She is gilded and painted in eight pounds of 24 carat gold. 

 

Nike, goddess of victory, perches on Athena's right hand and stands over 6 feet tall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 The city library was amazing!  Although it was built in the Romanesque style of the surrounding government buildings, it was actually less than 10 years old. 

 

Their perfectly landscaped courtyard allows you to read your favorite book while picnicking.

 

 

 

 

 

 On the pedestrian bridge above Spiritus on our final night in Nashville.

We'll definitely be back!