Sunday, January 15, 2012

Chattanooga, Tennessee FUN!

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Light shinning in through the beautiful old lobby…


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A beautiful ceiling…. Where is this vintage beauty????


Choo Choo collage


It is the beautiful old train station & now hotel of the infamous CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On our Christmas trip (see previous post for Part 1) we also went to visit our friends Jo Ann & Mike that now live in Chattanooga. They took us around to see the sites including the old train station which you can see in the photo above. Along with the engine, & rail cars that are now hotel rooms. Each car has 2 rooms inside. And the silver car is the diner where you can have dinner in the diner!!!! CUTE! Then we piled in the car & took a tour of downtown admiring the old buildings. You KNOW I adore old architecture!


Downtown collage


Leaving downtown behind we went across the bridge, parked & walked across the OLD bridge to view the river & some interesting things down in “The Arts District”.


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Walking across you see Look Out Mountain in the distance, the bridge you drive across to come to this side, & that building on the left houses an INDOOR Merry Go Round.


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Past that (as we’re walking across the bridge) we see The Delta Queen which used to be an old paddle boat that floated the Mississippi River. She was sold & brought to Chattanooga to become another “destination” style hotel. Do you see those glass peaks in the background? It is the new Aquarium that is touted to be TOP NOTCH & the city is very proud of it.


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On the other side of the bridge you can see the columns of a beautiful old home that belonged to the gentleman that bought the recipe from Coca Cola to bottle Coke as we know it today. Originally Coke was used as a medicine but, by adding soda water it became a much loved beverage as it is today. The home was donated & all those modern buildings were added to become the current Art Museum for the city. That Tennessee River is really wide & running fast. NOT like the rivers here in parched/draught ridden Texas.


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Now for some history!!! We went up to Look Out Mountain (remember it in the picture above?) & viewed the movie about “The Battle In The Clouds” which was a long & bloody Blue/Grey battle up the side of the mountain.


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NOW, this area is a very upscale town that has to traverse a VERY CURY ROAD or use a monorail to get up or down. Can you imagine sending your child to school on the monorail?


DSC05375 How’s this for a view out your back door? The Tennessee River winding through Chattanooga below. Sprawled at your feet… Now, imagine being one of the foot soldiers (in the painting above) fighting your way UP that mountain or one sitting at the top trying to defend her…


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The old battle ground now wraps itself around the top ridge of Look Out Mountain with cannons, a monument, & a very real since of the pain of the past.


Fort collage





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With reminders sitting in the old fort area or even in people’s front yards (it is historical & you can not move the cannons if it is in your yard as it MUST stay where it was left & MANY of those fancy homes have them in yards both front & back).


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Truly a time that was dark days for our nation but, when speaking of wars of today… my Hubby says “Better to fight them on their soil than on ours”. Can you imagine brothers fighting against each other? Americans fighting other Americans???? SAD & I hope we never revisit that time… Now on to a look on the other side of the park.


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From the top of this point they say you can see 4 or 5 different states! Imagine!!!! You sure don’t get that here in Texas (where it can take you over 12 hours to just get out of the state!) THANK YOU Jo Ann & Mike we had so much fun! And I hope you enjoyed this little visit with us.


I’m sorry I am so behind in my posting but, I am trying to get caught up from our trip, close out our company books for the end of the year, & we are looking at property to build a new home (well, not really a home as we want out of the Home Owner’s Association & all that goes with it). We are looking for 2-3 acres where we can build a HUGE Barn to store the toys (RV, Deck Boat with solid top used for a diving platform & stargazing, 4 wheelers…) & to build a beautiful apartment inside with a huge Art Studio/Wood Shop. Click on the photo below (which is of course the concept) & you can see one of my Pinterest Boards of ideas for this type home.


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This keeps a girl busy!!!! And away from her creating. I sure do miss it & all my buddies in BLOGLAND!


HUGS! Charlene

9 comments:

Robin Thomas said...

Looks like a beautiful place. I love Tenneessee, we visit my mother in law there.

Hope to see you this year!

Riki Schumacher said...

Wow, what a fun trip! I've never been there, it is beautiful. Thanks for the pics. It would be so cool to build such a beautiful barn! Wow! Do it, I want to come visit!!! Did y get to take Elle with you? See you soon nowZ! Xoxo Riki

Kim Hanauer said...

Hi Charlene!
I just live 2 hours from Chatanooga. I wish we could have hooked up if just an afternoon. It`s a beautiful place!
Miss you~
Kim

Lisa said...

How lovely! i have never been but would love to!
Glad you had a great time!
Hugs, Lisa

Mary said...

Charlene~ Chattanooga is so beautiful! What a wonderful trip! We're neighbors to TN since we're in NC but it is still a 5-6 drive for us so we've never visited.

Good luck on your plans for building~ a daunting if not fun task in the planning stage! I have to limit myself to how much time I spend on Pinterest or I would be sucked in a black hole and never return :)

Privet and Holly said...

Beautiful trip ~
who knew Chatanooga
was so hilly? and
your building plans
are amazing!!!

xx Suzanne

Diane said...

Now, this was a fun trip...and to know we drove thru there on the way to/from DC! Maybe this next September we can stop by and visit with Mike & JoAnn. I would love that! Yep, I want that barn too...we are still a lookin' too!

Lily's Lace said...

HEY I missed this one, sorry! You're not behind in blogging, you're ahead of most of us. The trip looks to fab and I'm glad you had fun but I'm glad you're home! I miss my friend,xox-cin

LuLu Kellogg said...

What a beautiful place to visit and SO much history! Loved seeing all the photos!

Love,
LuLu~*xoxo

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