Opryland Hotel Complex

Carol, Melissa and Carol's friend (Jerry) took us to the Opryland Hotel Complex a couple of nights ago. We drove past Opryland (where the country stars perform) and took a short walk to the Opryland Hotel. The Hotel is huge...and that is not an exaggeration. Besides the hotel rooms, there is a convention center with meeting rooms, several restaurants, bars, and huge plant, flower and water displays that are all fully enclosed within the domed complex. It has a river walk area and for "only" $9 per person you can take a little boat ride to view the plants and the complex from water level. We took a stroll instead !

We followed the map and eventually came to a sports bar where we had some really good hamburgers. Getting back to where we started from was more of a challenge. As I said, the complex is huge with several levels and there are maps everywhere.....unfortunately, none of us were very good at interpreting the maps and, instead of asking directions....trudged along. We saw some really wonderful gardens by doing this, but when there are 7 adults all getting different ideas about what the map is trying to say, it was a little challenging.... Dad and I finally decided to forget the map and start following some of the posted signs. We thought the others were following us, but I guess they were still looking at and discussing the map, because we left them in the dust. They eventually arrived back at our origination point, but definitely later than Dad & I :)

The grand staircase at the front of the hotel brought back some fond memories for Mom. She and Dad W stayed one night at the Opryland Hotel several years ago. She remembered coming down that beautiful staircase several times in imitation of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. She also remembers pulling up to the front of the hotel where a hotel valet opened her car door for her. She said that she quickly pulled the door shut, thinking, I guess, that she was about to be carjacked or was having her purse stolen.....She did not know that the stay at the hotel was a surprise for her. Dad W had to explain to Mom and then apologize to the valet.

Mom and Carol had some fun recreating Mom's Scarlett O'Hara entrance on the staircase...although it just isn't quite the same with her wearing her slipon tennies and pants. I guess we could have found a curtain rod with some fancy drapes (Like Carol Burnett did in one of her skits)....but we'll save that for next time.

While waiting for Carol's friend, Jerry, to arrive Mom was posing on one of the benches near the Convention Center and we were taking a picture. She looked like she was having so much fun that a nicely dressed businessman decided to sit next to her and gave all of us a "thumbs up". Mom said "Who's he and where did he come from?"....She didn't realize that she looked like she was having such a good time that even a stranger wanted to join her......

As you can see, we are enjoying ourselves. We loved seeing Melissa and heard that she and her boyfriend, Thomas, are going to be married....Lots of details to work out, naturally. We hope to meet him this weekend. We saw the store where Carol works yesterday and tonight we will be meeting Cherie, Corey, and Emily for dinner after Carol returns from work. Should be fun...