Going to Nashville

[lblanchard]

I am getting on an airplane next Wednesday. Bleah. I'd almost rather have a tooth pulled.

We'll spend five days exploring the city to see if it's a good fit for us. If it passes muster on first visit, we'll go back and poke around some more.

I've done no traveling to speak of for three years. I do not enjoy travel. When we get there I should be all right, though. Time to make lists.

I keep trying to research the city and the metro and constantly gravitate back to the transit agency website. They have a city loop you can ride for free! A reduced-fare unlimited monthly pass for seniors is $44. But not free...

Comments

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

I lived there for several years and didn't care for it over-all, but perhaps it's changed. Just don't buy anything near the river - it floods badly on a regular basis.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

The culture shock may kill me. We live in a pretty Old World American city, as American cities go. On the other hand, we live 1/2 mile away from a building designed by the same architect who their state capitol and a couple of churches, so there may be hope. It has a big university, at least two art museums, and a botanical garden -- three of the four Must Haves on my list. The fourth is a good public library.

We expected to avoid the river and will take our first look at neighborhoods on the airport bus line. A modest rancher on 1/3-2/3 acre and 1/4-1/2 mile from a bus line would suit us to a T.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

It's a place I've always wanted to go, but certainly not to find a place to live. I hope you have a good time, despite your travel allergy. Why are you flying? Wouldn't a train be cheaper? (today is, apparently, nosy question day.)

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

No train to Nashville. Don't even mention the bus.

Also...we're traveling on Roy's miles (he has racked up enough to pay airfare, hotel, and car rental) and I'm not sure he can use them for AMTRAK.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

That makes sense. If you're going for free, then why not fly?

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

VERY high heat + humidity. It is a city we've visited often because of a dear friend who lives there and there are some really lovely places and historical bits to visit. Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Art Museum would catch your fancy. Visit that if you can. Also Belle Meade, The Hermitage and Belmont Mansion. But LIVE there? No way, nohow! And yes, culture shock may well set in quickly.
How about some line dancing and barbecue?

The travel bit will be just fine.

Icon is a Belmont Mansion lion from a picture I took a few years ago.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Heh. That looks a lot like the dying lion of Lucerne.

I know it's hot and humid. Philadelphia's pretty hot and humid, too, especially our part of the city. In fact, I've been tracking the weather comparatively and we appear to be less than five degrees apart on the weather pattens. We'll leave here in the low 70s if the forecast holds and get there in the mid 70s.

Portions of Philadelphia are in the coastal plane and portions are on the piedmont. There's a climate zone change in the city and we're on the warmer end. Add to that the fact that we live in a section that has a) virtually no tree cover; and b) an explosion of gentrification / redevelopment that has replaced vacant lots with houses that have big honking central air compressors. It's usually two to three degrees hotter here than in Center City half a mile north of us, and five to seven degrees hotter than neighborhoods north and west of Center City.

I'm not a great fan of country music, but I suspect that between Frist/Cheekwood and some other offerings I might be perfectly happy there. There's a light installation at Cheekwood that I'm eager to see. We have tickets for the night of the Equinox.

http://lightatcheekwood.com/

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

All I know is that I grew up in Michigan and though that was the worst humidity could get. And when we got to Nashville, I was never more miserable in my life. The air was so thick I could barely breathe and just moving around outside the AC was agony. Me and my metabolism hated Nashville. The last time we visited a couple of years ago, the weather was more reasonable and we were able to wander around Cheekwood very comfortably.
The light show looks quite lovely. Enjoy! (And take pictures, please?)

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I have a friend from the South who refers to Nashville as part of the "swelter belt."

[trekchic.livejournal.com]

Friends of ours loved Nashville and plan on retiring there.
We are also started to consider what area of the country we would like to retire to.
Right now West coast of Florida and Ashville NC are in the top. I plan on getting away from the cold here to check them out:)

Good luck!

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Florida is a little too warm for me and I've never warmed to Asheville, although we have some friends there.

[glynisj.livejournal.com]

I live about 2 hours from Nashville. For a large city, it is pretty good as far as I'm concerned. I'm not a native of Tennessee so you can be sure that I don't say this out of loyalty. The people are hospitable and there's more to do there than just listening to country music. I hope you have a blast.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The most exciting thing we have planned (so far) is a trip to the light installation at Cheekwood. Our loose plan is to look at Nashville at work during the week and at play during the weekend. That and seeing how the transit system works. We're not getting any younger and it would be a comfort to have the bus as an option. I know we can't expect the web of frequent buses etc that Philadelphia offers.

[montieth.livejournal.com]

I know several nice and wonderful people in Nashville.

Oleg Volk, a russian photographer lives there. He's a very nice and interesting fellow.

Then there's Dot and Peter. Dot is from Alaska and flew her wee piper cub plane there from Alaska. Peter is from South Africa and is pretty darn colorful for a great many reasons.

And Lastly there's my friend MaryAnne who just moved there with her husband.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Thanks. If we decide to go down for a second trip I may ask for some help from some locals -- exploring neighborhoods, etc.