Vacation

Roses in front of the church

The Basilica in Asheville, NC

Front entrace of the Basilica. ALL rose bushes

The Asheville, NC Basilica

Roses that smell as good as they look

Pat and I had been planning this vacation for months. It was worth all of the effort. I drove from Avon to Asheville, NC last Sunday. We stayed in a hotel right in the downtown area, so we could walk the town. People had been telling us that there definitely was more to Asheville than just visiting the Biltmore estate. They weren't joking.

First of all, the entire area is in the mountains. I don't have too many pics of the mountains, because I was the driver, in the pouring rain, in the fog, with trucks surrounding us. Never so glad to get off an expressway in my life! If you intend to visit Asheville, wear really good walking shoes and plan on losing weight. EVERYTHING is uphill, or so it seems to me. But it is a beautiful town, full of churches built by the friends of the Vanderbilts, little restaurants, cafes, candy shops, and a few bars.

The food was excellent. People were beyond friendly, going out of their way to direct us. And we did a walking ghost tour, with a fascinating story teller named Tad. He can spin a tale, but also knows the history of the area. That was a delight.

This entire vacation sparked an interest in the War between the States. Call it what you will, it was still the bloodiest event in our country's history. Now I want to know more, see more where the battles were fought. Asheville was not a battleground, but had some interesting stories none the least.

More photos tomorrow. Gracie stayed with a pet sitter all week, and she needs a hug. I don't think she missed me all that much. There were other dogs there for her to play with, in an enormous backyard. My girl had her own vacation.

Happy Mother's Day!
Linda