music and frostbite in the Nash'

The temperatures in Nashville have been freezing, and as I'm sitting here in the airport, it's looking like snow outside. Fortunately on the day I arrived, a man on the street lent me his winter coat ... he asked if he could borrow $12, and I gave him the money. In the end, he never came back for his jacket, and that $12 disappeared into the Nashville ether. Needless to say, I think I got the better deal because I would have froze without that jacket.

And on the second day as I was sitting eating my lunch in the park, a local charity worker offered me a hamburger thinking I was a homeless person. No idea about that one ??


THE STATION INN : The music city has the best nightlife. I found this tiny, dingy out-of-the-way venue where Bluegrass was born. If it means anything to you, I saw performances on the same stage where Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Don Reno and others all played. It was wonderfully exhilirating ... I could hardly believe the history of the place !

RYMAN AUDITORIUM : Me being a tourist on the Ryman Auditorium Stage (original home of the Grand Ole Opry, and where I saw the live radio show on Saturday night) ... It's where Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Elvis, Mae West, Katherine Hepburn etc all appeared. It's a very old building which has recently been restored.

Elvis' vehicle of choice at the Country Music Museum.