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Happy New Year, Y'all - I

Being Chinese, I meant the Lunar New Year.

Since my host family moved to Nashville, I'd missed them a lot. When they invited me to visit, we thought the Chinese Lunar New Year would be a perfect occasion. Plus I had a very good friend from college living in Memphis, whom I hadn't seen for years. So it didn't take much time for me to plan a week-long trip to Tennessee.

Linda and John welcomed me before I even stepped out of the airport security line. Their new house was a beautiful modern Southern house with high ceilings, huge space and plenty of sunlight. The furnishing and decor was distinctively Chinese American, as always.

I enjoyed the comfort of home and helped prepare the dinner, where I met many interesting friends invited over by Linda and John.


Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Originally uploaded by nuance1979.
The next day we went to the lengendary Grand Ole Opry but were disappointed by their winter closure. The Gaylord Opryland Hotel, however, surprised me with its magnificent architecture and well-maintained botanic garden. No wonder did they have a good business of hosting weddings.


Dolly Parton's Picture
Originally uploaded by nuance1979.
On our way back, we visited the historic Ernest Tubb Record Shop and sampled several country music bars on Broadway.


Pink Boots
Originally uploaded by nuance1979.
The Country Music Hall of Fame did a nice job showcasing the history and glory of country music, for which Nashville is known to the world, although the admission was slightly over-priced. I was especially impressed by the country music stars' lavishing on-stage fashion style, as exemplified by this pair of pink boots.


Nashville Predators
Originally uploaded by nuance1979.
Our next program for the day was a Nashville Predators hockey game. The fast-pacing game reminded me a lot of indoor soccer and lacrosse so I had no trouble enjoying it. With the feverish support of the local fans, the home team beat the visiting Pheonix Coyotes by 4:1. We had a post-game dinner at Boscos, a pretty nice and popular bear-brewing Italian retaurant near Vanderbilt University.

My visit to Nashville came to an end and I felt so relaxed during my stay: getting up late, watching TV in a comfy couch, digging refrig for food and talking to Linda and John just about everything.

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