A Trip of a Lifetime

 This is what my sister and I referred our 11-day Mediterranean cruise as…”a trip of a lifetime.”  We had decided it would be best if we begun our journey together and so she flew to Nashville from Pittsburgh instead of us meeting in Philadelphia.  It ended up being a wise decision. We arrived at BNA in plenty of time, but unfortunately we were notified that our flight was two hours late and consequently we would miss our flight to Barcelona out of Philadelphia.  Long story short, our transatlantic flight took us to England instead of Spain.  Although Heathrow Airport is a shopper’s paradise filled with many high-end shops, we would have preferred spending our eight hours on the streets of Barcelona.

Eventually at day’s end we were able to have a nice supper at the Le Méridien hotel and then experienced some Spanish street nightlife. It was Saturday night and everyone was out celebrating the week’s end! Sunday morning, our driver came to take us to the port to board the Norwegian Breakaway.  I had so looked forward to seeing the famous SaGrada Familia and knew that I should speak up or forever hold my peace.  Our very pleasant and accommodating Argentinian driver submitted to my request and the image of the Cathedral was transforming. What an unforgettable sight.

Boarding the ship was smooth sailing considering the fact the passenger capacity is approximately 6000.  The staff of 1400 were extremely accommodating and managed to have everything set so that the Breakaway sailed at 5:00pm.  Our trip was magnificent and very memorable. The itinerary allowed us to see a different port every day beginning with Palma Majorca, Spain, then Cannes/Nice, France, down the western side of Italy, south to Malta, crossing the Ionian Sea to Corfu, Greece and north along the Adriatic Sea to Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia. Our disembarkation port was Venice.  Due to an early flight home we were unable to view the city.  Maybe next time…

There were 18 decks on the Norwegian Breakaway and our stateroom was on Deck 13.  The ship was truly amazing providing every kind of cuisine imaginable.  We had dinner at the French restaurant called Le Bistro and the escargot was delicious, the filet mignon cooked perfectly and the chocolate dessert out-of-this-world.  Our final dinner was at Cagney’s Steakhouse.  Very American and very good!

The 6th, 7th and 8th floors were where all the entertainment took place whether it be cabaret shows, gambling, origami folding, trivia, karaoke, etc.  One could always find something to do.  Most mornings my sister and I would go to either the Savor or the Taste restaurants to dine formally.  Our napkins were always placed on our laps by the wait staff.  What pampering!

We disembarked at every port but two.  The excursions were very nice and gave us a real feel of the area.  We especially enjoyed the double decker buses which allowed us a bird’s-eye view of the countryside.  Nice, Rome and Naples were extremely hot with much sun, but we persevered.  Knowing a relaxing meal and a glass of vino was just around the corner helped immensely!

As I had mentioned earlier, this was truly a “trip of a lifetime.”  A part of the world we had never seen before and the experience of meeting new people.  My sister and I had a marvelous time.

What an amazing candy store filled with every confection imaginable.

Polished limestone streets of Dubrovnik, Croatia 

An olive tree

Karaoke 

An unusual light fixture 

A fabulous and sensual dance experience

Nice, France

Our stateroom

Tennessee Walking Horses

 This past Tuesday I traveled with my Senior Center to Wartrace, Bell Buckle and Shelbyville, Tennessee to visit “The Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse.”  The Tennessee Walker is a breed of gaited horses known for its unique walk, mild temperament, stately manners and was originally developed as a riding horse on plantations in the American South. 

 In 1939, the first Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration was held and Strolling Jim was declared the winner. His remains are buried in a field behind the Walking Horse Hotel in Wartrace where the Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum is also located.

The Walking Horse Hotel

The Museum was full of many pictures and artifacts.  I found the saddle very unusual as it was a side saddle lined with what felt like carpet.  On the back side was a hook which allowed a lady rider a spot with which her purse could be hung.

Wartrace was a small town with a few shops, the Hotel, frequent trains and the memorable Museum.

Our next stop was Bell Buckle.  The following excerpt came from Wikipedia and provides a few thoughts about the origin of the town’s name.  As you will see by the photos, it was another small Tennessee town.

“The origin of the town's unusual name is not known. According to the local chamber of commerce, one story says that one of the first white men to travel through the area found a tree with carvings of a cowbell and a buckle, possibly carved by Indians to warn white settlers away, or possibly carved by surveyors to mark the area as good pasture. Another form of the legend holds that a bell and buckle were tied around a tree. In any case, the nearby creek was named Bell Buckle Creek, and the town later took the name of the creek.”

If you look carefully above the door you will see that this was the vault of one of the three banks in tiny Bell Buckle!

We then toured a very large stables which was the home to many Tennessee Walking Horses.  We were able to ask questions and received many answers especially in regards to the training process.  

Our final destination was Shelbyville which is the home of the Celebration.  It is held the end of August for a total of 11 days and nights and is considered the nation’s largest show as far as fans and spectators…250,000+  Over 2000 Tennessee Walking Horses compete during the Celebration.

What an interesting experience learning about the world-famous Tennessee Walking Horses!

And not too far from my home.

Blessings,

Frannie