Chattanooga, there and gone

Can't believe we've been to Chattanooga and gone already without posting.  That's a clue about how busy we've been and, in reality, the lack of good internet.

We headed into Chattanooga after our wonderful distillery tours, dropped our luggage and headed down town to the world renowned Chattanooga Choo Choo.  This was the original Atlanta railroad depot, the first link between the north and south and instrumental in supplying union troops during the Civil War (which wasn't very civil).  The old trains cars have been converted into hotel rooms, or barely converted and serving as hotel rooms.  The Union Station has restaurants, shops, and a run-down museum.  In fact the whole place is a bit sad and in need of a new owner with funds to revive the past.

That said, we decided to dine at the Showboat, a restaurant with singing waiters.  Waiters, we have been told, are hired because they can sing and then taught to wait tables.  Our server, Trent from Knoxville, had a powerful voice and spent his off-stage time visiting with us at our table.  Guess his training didn't include "don't sit down with the customers" and we were glad it didn't.  The food was passable and plentiful (had left overs the next night headed in the in-room microwave), but the conversation was good.  Trent, is not an aspiring singing.  He's quite content, he told us, to play in his band, sing at the restaurant, and sing gospel in church.  Simple, down home, has his priorities in order.  If this were a restaurant in LA everyone would be discontent waiting on his/her next big break.  Very refreshing to meet Trent.

Friday was a lazy day.  We went to visit some civil war parks (thanks to the Federal government they were closed), learned a bit about the Battle of Chattanooga and understand the importance of this otherwise obscure city to the Union win.  Toured the downtown area for awhile (also in need of more refurbishing) and then we went to a fabulous blue-grass concert on the riverfront near Aquarium Plaza. Fabulous, free concert with 5 hours of bango picking, fiddle bowing, and guitar strumming music.  One of the bands, Balsam Range, learned only days before that they had been selected band of the year, with album of the year.  They were that good with harmony, instrumentals, and enthusiasm.  The crowd of about 5000 enjoyed every moment, as did we.  These country folks know how to have a good time.  Beer and wine sold on premises, but controlled.  Everyone was behaved, lots of families, audience of all ages from infant to grandpa--and same could be said of the performers.  Oldest about 86, youngest 13.  This is our second free outdoor concert of the trip, and another great evening.

Off to Atlanta to see our friend Iris Abelson.