When I left you last, I was on my way to the river in Chattanooga. I enjoyed my lunch cruise very much; it was relaxing and informative; I was also singled out as the person who had travelled the furthest to be there. I was awarded 2 'moon pies' - a bit like Wagon Wheels, manufactured locally, but was told to pass one on to the Queen when next I run into her at a social occasion. Unfortunately it looked like it was going to melt before we could make contact, so I had to eat it... I was interested to see some Amish people on the boat - the men and older boys sporting long beards and trousers with braces; the women and girls in calico-type frocks and bonnets. I know that they do not embrace modern technology and wondered about the power driven boat; I didn't get a chance to question them, sadly.
The weather has been incredibly hot - tee-shirt clings damply to the back, fringe to forehead. It is very humid here, which tends to sap the energy a bit, but still wins over chilly English weather in my book! I have been through several thunderstorms, though - one of which forced drivers off the road, as visibility was practically nil.
From Chattanooga I've driven on a couple of stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway, part of the Appalachian mountain range. This has been absolutely delightful, being almost completely forested with lovely streams running along beside the road. Such a contrast with the Rockies in the West. Both awe-inspiring landscapes, but totally different. The Parkway is a winding road with many stopping places, always with a view crying out for a photograph to be taken. It makes its way through several tunnels - all without lighting - only the car headlights, making this mildly claustrophobic wimp a bit fearful at times. I stopped at a town called Pigeon Forge, near Gatlinberg, which took me very much by surprise by being extremely commercialised - a bit like Blackpool, really! Lots of 'attractions' of the "Ripley's Believe It or Not" variety. I didn't stay long there, and headed for Asheville, in North Carolina. I loved this town - it had an obvious centre that I could negotiate, finding a parking place relatively easily; and a weekly samba-fest in the park on the Friday evening. I think the whole town must have been there, either playing some form of percussion instrument, or dancing. I thought it would be rude not to join in the festivities. Such fun! I want to live there...
I shall gloss over the next day; suffice it to say that not many people have the talent to drive 87 miles before realising it's completely the wrong direction. I thought I was heading East into Virginia; maybe the large sign saying "South Carolina" should have given me a clue. But in mitigation, I have to say that the highway directions are very confusing. One marked e.g. I26 EAST quite often heads off in a southerly direction. It is very confusing. REALLY. But hey, add another state to my total. So the next couple of days took me back through some lovely small towns to regain my route along the Parkway. My last night on the road, in Lexington, Virginia, was spend in a suite in a Days Inn motel - a coupon made it affordable, and the second television was very useful in settling my indecision over channel choice...
So that brought me safely to Ros, and my first period not on my own since I left Nick and Fenella in Sydney. It is lovely once again to be in good company and comfortable accommodation. Ros and I have had a lot of catching up to do, and the conversation has been flowing freely. I have explored the canal walk, the James River rapids (unusual in an urban setting), the Civil War museum; Richmond was the capital of the confederacy, and its fall to the Union troops signalled the tail end of the war. I had a very congenial evening with some of Ros's friends in a restaurant called Bottoms Up in an area called Shockoe Bottom - a place which was completely flooded in 2004 but is now restored and serving very tasty pizza. Ros took today off work and we wandered around the botanical gardens - very colourful and well laid out. I am enjoying being in one place for a few days, with local knowledge to guide me. Next stop Washington D.C., then on to New York!
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1 comment:
BIG Congratulations to Alex on his 2 (i)!! I look forward to soon seeing his name on all the credits.
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