Have you ever taken the time to be a tourist in your own town? So often, we haven’t actually done all of the things we would recommend to others, when they come in from out of town. There are so many things to do, all within an easy day trip of where we live.
A girlfriend and I plan an outing once a month. It could be a new tearoom, a great restaurant, a quick day trip, etc. We are only two hours from Nashville, and she has always wanted to go on a lunch or dinner cruise on the general Jackson Showboat, so off we went! Now, we didn’t put a lot of thought into this, we just bought tickets, put it on the calendar, and turned up on the correct date. It turns out we were way short of hairspray, spangly cowboy boots, and off the shoulder tops, which have become the Nashville tourist uniform. We had fun, nonetheless.
The weather was one of those truly, spectacularly, perfect fall days. It couldn’t have been more gorgeous, and we both kept remarking on it. Boarding was a simple process, though they do shuffle you right into the buffet line, without an opportunity to go put down your things. Food was okay, which is about what I expected. It really was all about the experience and the company.
The first hour or so after sailing is spent watching their revue style show in the main dining room. They have one phenomenal singer, and a fantastic band. The performers put a great deal of effort into keeping the energy up, and keeping the crowd engaged. Once the show ends, everyone is free to wander the ship, and we spent the rest of the time out on the decks, watching the world go by.
The General Jackson sails on the Cumberland River, which is the whole reason Nashville is there. It made moving goods easy, for the early settlers there, and many of them built very grand homes near the river. We were out on the deck in time to watch as the boat made its way into downtown Nashville, before making the turn to return to the dock. Nashville has changed a great deal since I was young. The whole downtown area was derelict, with Union Station Hotel boarded up and abandoned. You would never know it by the vibrant district it has become, thronged with tourists and bachelorette parties.
The journey back along the river was just what we needed. We both love the water, and it was such a perfect day to be out. We ended the day with a lovely dinner at Grey’s on Main, one of my favorite restaurants in Franklin, TN, and did the quick drive home.
It is good to have a reason to get out and do something new, or even revisit something you haven’t done in many years. Just having an outing on the calendar to look forward to, breaks up the monotony.
Vagabond.Belle 