Here is a very small peak at our vacation. (Feel free to click on each picture for a slightly large view, but please remember that all images are copyright protected, so please do not copy them. Thank you!)
We stayed at the beautiful Opryland Hotel. If you have never been there, GO! You must walk around the beautiful gardens. Just be sure to take some allergy meds before you go if you are like me and allergic to anything that contains pollen, or converts carbon dioxide to oxygen for that matter.
Here is one section of the Cascades wing. The place is simply beautiful and takes on a magically feeling at night.
A gorgeous little pond with a bridge and lit gazebo. It was amazing!
I believe this waterfall was in the Garden Conservatory, but I could be wrong. I just love how it was lit and the water looks like cotton candy in this picture.
The entire place has the most amazing chandeliers you could imagine! This is an artistic take on one. Imaging standing directly underneath and looking up, this is what you would see.
This is the revolving bar. I believe it has another, more official name, but this is what my family and I called it. It is located right after you walk through the lobby, in the Cascades area.Of course the place was amazing during the day as well. It was hard to believe you were inside. It was so bright and airy feeling. It was all the beauty of a garden, without the bugs!
Here is one waterfall in the Delta wing. There was a small waterway that you could take a boat tour on and learn neat little facts about the hotel. We didn't take advantage of it this trip, but we still enjoyed the view!
This is the Delta wing of the hotel. It is home to many of the cute little shops and eateries the hotel has to offer.
Of course we had to visit downtown Nashville! It has a couple of blocks that offer fun tourist style shops and great places to eat. I didn't do much shooting downtown, but I managed to catch this beautiful view while we drove back to the hotel on the interstate.
Another interesting place we stopped at was The Belle Meade Plantation. It was a horse plantation for many generations. The home is wonderful and full of beautiful antiques. If you take the tour, you can learn about the families who owned it and raised prize winning race horses.
The building in the foreground of this picture is the old dairy. In the back ground, was the slave quarters.
This is looking out of the old barn and carriage house. It had beautiful architecture and a wonderful breeze blowing through it.
This is the buggy that is sitting in front of the left hand window of the above picture. It was so simple and elegant looking.And of course we had to go to a live taping of The Grand Ole Opry Show! It was amazing! The singers were fantastic! Even if you don't enjoy country music, GO! You will love it!
Among the fabulous performers of the night, we saw.....
I have to include two of Roy Clark. I just couldn't pick a favorite! It was so cool to be able to leave my seat and go right up to the stage for pictures! Just amazing!! Look at the energy and excitement Mr. Clark has! How can you not have fun watching this?!
Home again. Flat ol' Illinois. But the view can still be spectacular! We had quite the show of clouds the entire drive home. This set was perched atop a newly planted field in the middle of nowhere. Isn't it amazing how you can see for miles and miles on end!It was a wonderful vacation and Chris and I are so glad to be home with the kids. I think we missed them more than they missed us, but hey, the dog was sure excited to see us! :o)
