Spring Break Road Trip – EPISODE 3

THE CITIES OF MUSIC AND BOURBON 

Crossing the state lines into Tennessee, we headed to our next stop – NASHVILLE! The Music City! While there was a lot of excitement getting into the city, we were worried on the drive due to a tornado hitting parts of the state the day before we had arrived. There was constant weather checks while we were driving in as none of us had any idea what the protocol was for such insane weather. Arriving into the city at golden hour was pretty gorgeous as the view of the city with the sunset was amazing. But there was nothing much to be done at night so it turned into a taco night (we had to take a rest from the BBQ) as well as an introduction for the other three to the magic that is milkshakes from Wendys.

Our first activity in Nashville was mural hunting! In such an artistic city murals were everywhere but following Andrea’s lead we were looking for some specific pieces of art!

After the hunt we headed to the check out the downtown area with numerous bars and record stores. The Johnny Cash museum was there as well. However due to the incredibly expensive parking (we were spoilt by the free parking we had all over Alabama) we could not spend as much time as we wanted to in that area. So off we headed to for our next installment of BBQ adventures at the Martin’s BBQ Joint! A very large open feel to the area akin to the hofbrauhaus styles of restaurant and yet again we had some stunning meats! Somewhat different from Alabama but nonethless just as good. Fortunately, Nashville had the state capitol of Tennessee which was the next stop on our day. Admiring the memorials and monuments in the surrounding area we headed up a small hill where the capitol building stood. The tour was eye-opening especially when the guide came to the chamber of the house of representatives. That chamber was where the dramatic events of 1920 occurred. A story worth pointing out! By that year, the 19^th amendment (giving women the right to vote) had made its way through every other state. 35 out the 36 states necessary to make it nation-wide law had ratified the amendment while the rest had either abstained or rejected the amendment. Tennessee was the last state to decide on ratification which provided the state the pivotal decision on making the amendment pass or fail. This caused a massive impasse in the house for a long time until a dramatic switch by representative Harry T. Burn to vote in favor of it passing the act in the house. This led to the swift ratification of the amendment, ensuring women the right to vote (in the US)! It was quite immense to be standing in the hall that created such a monumental moment in history, one that help push the issue of suffrage forward. Another great reason why I love state capitols! Following the Capitol, we headed to the last stop of a long day at the Grand Ole Opry, another nod to the music mecca that is Nashville. The Grand Ole Opry is a huge music venue and one of the oldest in the USA (unless I’m mistaken). Everything about the place was massive and I could only imagine what it would have been like to enjoy a concert at such a venue.

The next day was merely wrapping up our stay in the city with a tour of the Belle Meade Plantation to get a feel of the history of a big player in Nashville’s past (The Meade family). Definitely worth the visit to get an understanding of how people lived in such an age (as the house was carefully restored and maintained) as well as to understand how African Americans fared in some parts of the South in that era. After the plantation we made a quick pit stop to see the Parthenon and we headed for some soul food lunch at the Loveless Café just outside of the city. Its famous biscuits were definitely worth the hype as were the different types of soul food we tried (chicken fried steak was AMAZING). After a hearty meal, off we crossing state lines into Kentucky! This was where I had set a new record for myself having driven the entire stretch into Louisville (the city we were heading to) by myself. Having never driven more than an hour at a stretch, this 3-hour drive was quite an achievement for me (although I am aware it’s rookie numbers compared to how Americans can drive).

Our travels in Louisville pretty much began the day after arrival. As the city was the the birthplace of the legendary Muhammad Ali we just had to visit his museum. Even to a non-boxing fan like myself it was quite amazing to see his entire life unfold before my eyes, triumphs and failures alike. A complicated man throughout but a champion through and through. The museum was a sight to behold with the incredible attention to detail and large collection that we spent quite a few hours there. Next on the docket was exploring parts of the city and another stop on the southern food trail with some of the best fried chicken in Louisville at Royals Hot Chicken. After lunch we explored another key aspect of Kentucky culture – BOURBON. We had a distillery tour where they explained everything about bourbon as its place in Louisville history! Needless to say I had quite a few glasses during the testing and bought some bottles to go! Our last stop along the way was the last part of Kentucky culture that nearly everyone would have heard off – the Kentucky Derby. The museum and stadium tour told us fact that were quite stunning. Especially the amount of money that was spent betting on the races and that all bets were made in CASH. That’s right, people literally had to bring wads of cash which was quite shocking to me. Can’t imagine all that cash congregated in one place at one time! Having never shown an interest in such a sport, this short time there made me curious as to what race day would be like. The other interesting thing that occurred to me, was how horses in this instance are used for sport (for better or worse based on your view) but in other cultures are so welded into the fabric that it is simply a way of life for them. Especially with having spent some time in Mongolia, the difference in what I saw at the derby stadium with the culture over could not be more stark.

And so ends our time in Kentucky and the end of the trip drew near……..

Continued in Spring Break Road Trip – EPISODE 4!