Sunday, July 14, 2013 – Knoxville, TN
Today we were dedicating most of the day visiting family in the Knoxville area. Before that though we had time to head into Knoxville around 9:30 in the morning only to have the downtown area pretty much to ourselves.
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So you can’t go wrong with breakfast at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant (the Denny’s – only better – of the South). Photo 1 shows you the healthy breakfast that we each got for only $7. It was very good.
Then we headed into downtown. The first stop was Worlds Fair Park. It is tucked into a fairly snug spot off of the downtown area. It was hard to imagine this space supporting the 11 million visitors who came in 1982 to visit the Fair. Good thing they didn’t all come on the same day. It was 9:30 in the morning – so not what you would call “early” and it was eerily empty. Next we headed over to Market Square. Once again, it was eerily empty. Most of the shops were closed, but the restaurants were beginning to draw visitors for breakfast. There were a lot of great things to see in the area that we walked. We also wend down by the Tennessee river to check things out. Once again – largely devoid of people. It was very peaceful.
Next it was off to visit my Auntie El, Uncle Hugh, Cousin Joe and his wife Kim. I hadn’t seen Joe for probably 40 years. It was hard to see hime all grown up with two sons who are older than our own kids. Their eldest Son, Andy now lives in Leavenworth, WA and we will try to see him when we are making our way through there later in August. Their youngest Son, Alex, lives in Cambridge, MA and is engaged to be married. We had seen my Aunt and Uncle about 30 years ago in San Jose when they were visiting my Mom and Sister. Unfortunately, my other cousin Mary, Joe’s sister, was not there. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and 2 children. Once again it was great to reconnect over an excellent lunch at the Macaroni Grill. While we were there we were serenaded by an opera singer. Later we went back to their house and connected with my Mom on Facetime so that the 2 sisters could chat. My Mom had been out to visit them last Summer.
After than we headed out to visit my Cousin Diana, (my Dad’s Sisters daughter) and her husband Gary. I had been out to see them a year ago in February. They treated us to a great home cooked prime rib. Diana did an excellent job roasting it. Her “miracle mix” for her baked potatoes was fantastic (butter, minced onions and sour cream). She accompanied the meal with asparagus that was very tender, salad that included cucumbers from her garden and biscuits. For desert we had home made peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream. What a great cook.
Gary is fighting cancer and it has been a very tough past 7 months for him. He is facing his challenge with strength, courage and most of all trust in the Lord. He is not out of the woods yet, and we will keep him in our prayers and I’m sure he would appreciate it if all of you could add him to your prayers as well. He is a good and a strong man and deserves to be well.
Photo 1 – Breakfast of Champions – southern style
Photo 2 – Site of the 1982 Worlds Fair
Photo 3 – 11 million visitors were here
Photo 4 – View of Gov’t Building in Knoxville
Photo 5 – Gay St at 9:30 am on a Sunday
Photo 6 – Street art in an alley off of Gay St
Photo 7 – Market Square at 9:45 on a Sunday
Photo 8 – Tennessee River and the new Henley St bridge under construction
Photo 9 – Cousin Joe, his Wife Kim and the Opera Singer that serenaded us
Photo 10 – Uncle Hugh, Auntie El, Joe and I catching up.
Click her for a link to some of our other photos.
More later – tomorrow we are off to see Dollywood and Pigeon Forge, TN. I heard there is a picture of Dolly Parton’s feet there, because she has never seen them. Ba dump dump 😉
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