Today we took the backstage tour offered at the Gand Ole Opry and LOVED it. The hype video to start the tour was perfect for the kids who couldn’t recognize more than 3 country singers but could see the obvious emotions of all artists who got to play on the hallowed “circle”, a chunk of stage they saved from the original opry and built into the new stage at the new auditorium. The tour included all the dressing rooms the artist can choose from, the back stage, on stage, and in the audience. We were thoroughly entertained.

After the tour we visited the near by Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel which is quite a sight. There are water features everywhere, a big waterfall, even a river with boat rides available. Emerson loved the hotel and added it to her list of places “we definitely need to come back too!” We had a fun lunch at Fuse and headed home for a rest.

I would have spent the afternoon downtown just exploring, listening to music and people watching but I got outvoted. Good thing too because thunder storms rolled in by afternoon, it poured, and the news channels reported flooding in much of downtown. So a relaxing afternoon at the RV was a good call. Watching the kids enjoy the camper is great and a relief. Since we didn’t explore the sights this afternoon we were more adventurous with our dinner and ordered authentic southern food from the local Cock of the Walk restaurant and tried fried catfish, chicken, coleslaw and hushpuppies (my southern friends are used to seeing hushpuppies on the menu but not my NE girls!) When the rain stopped, the kids jumped in the pool for some night swimming. Summer memories! Stay tuned, the kids made some funny videos this afternoon!