This past weekend we took a little trip down to Gatlinburg, TN (aka Tennessee Tourist Trap # 3, I figure that Memphis would have to be # 1 and then Nashville). We arrived Saturday morning/afternoon and to our surpise, found more people than you could shake a stick at...just a little Southern saying for you there. The 160 mile trip to the outskirts of the place took about 2.5 - 3 hours. The 10 mile trek into the actual area took about 1.5 hours because of the traffic build-up!!! We both thought that somehow we had been magically transported back to Northern VA. I had to call upon my bumper-to-bumper traffic skills that had been lying dormant since June. Anyway, we got there and checked into the hotel around noon. We decided to rest for a few moments and then decided (Sam dictated to us) that it was lunch time. We hopped into the car and began what was the first episode in the recurring theme of the weekend...sitting in traffic on our way to eat. Things were so bad that we ate a SHONEY'S not once but twice while we were there because it was just easier. To most, that would ruin a weekend. After battling traffic in the greater DC area for 8 years, it was a mere inconvenience. The Great Smoky Mountains were beautiful and...well...they were smoky. No surprises there. Tiffy and I couldn't get that song "Smoky Mountain Rain" out of our heads and it is still kinda stuck there now. For the rest of Saturday, we just chilled...including a collective 3 hour nap, Sam included! Possibly the best vacation nap ever!On Sunday, we got up bright and early and went for some breakfast. We had heard so much about the local aquarium that we just had to go. We knew it would be an attraction that Sam would enjoy. We were right. The little dude loved it and loved it and loved it some more. He was so into the fish that his only disappointment was that he couldn't actually touch the fish...but he sure did try!
In addition to all of the exhibits, one portion of the aquarium was a moving sidewalk that carried you though a tunnel while the fish (sharks, rays, eels, etc. It was cool!) swam above you. I liked it even though I am not the marine biologist that some of the people I know are. Sam really got into that part. He even learned a new trick during the tour of the aquarium. This shot was not staged at all, but he is doing the pucker face naturally. The kid is a genius!
At the end of the aquarium visit, Sir Hugh of Dutton was exhausted. He decided that he needed to recharge his batteries before moving on to the second event of the day...Outlet Shopping!!!
Let's just say that he didn't enjoy that quite as much, but his mother and father sure did. We concluded the day with dinner despite the traffic. Monday morning we got up early and got on the road back to Kentucky. All in all, it was a great little get-away weekend vacation. Sam was more amicable on this trip than on any we have taken him on...perhaps it was the fish?!
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