Eastern Europe – Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia – June/July 2018

Last year I met many travelers heading to Albania so decided to go there as well!  Had a bad experience with prime time shuttle that called 20 minutes before they were to shuttle me to LAX and cancelled!!!  Luckily my dear friend drove me to LAX and I was in time for my flight.  With a quick stopover in Munich for a smoked salmon sandwich and coffee I arrived in Tirana, Albania about 7 p.m.

Taxi driver got lost so after many stops to ask directions I arrived at my very spacious airbnb and was warmly greeted by my host.  He showed me the area, the green market nearby and how to get to the center.  He finally dropped me off at one of his favorite restaurants nearby called Oda, where I had a wonderful dinner.  Cute little house with cozy rooms, Oda was the perfect place to start my trip.  I had a slice of spinach phyllo “pie”, a cottage cheese and peppers dish which I was to see often and a  slice of honey nut cake…

In the morning I walked to the green market to pick up some oranges and had a delicious chocolate croissant and double espresso at Mulliri Vjeter.  Walked into the center and then to the south bus station to see about buses to Berat which seemed to leave every 30 minutes.  Visited the House of Leaves, an old house once a medical office but during the war with Russia turned into a spy center where many people were falsely accused of political crimes.

Walked into the Blloku area with its cafes and little shops and had a piece of cheesecake on the patio of E Jona where I would dine tomorrow night.  Took the bus to Bunk Art 1 and spent a couple hours in the 3,000 square meter underground bunker spread over several floors.  In every room there was history of Albania being taken over by Italy, Germany and Russia.  What a saga!!!

In the evening even though it was raining pretty hard I took a taxi to Uka Farm, an organic farm and restaurant a bit far from town.  Sat in the large patio where chairs and tables were set up and had antipasta platter with cheeses, grilled peppers and eggplant, spinach pie, etc., followed by grilled lamb chops and some of their locally made wine.  Would have been a better experience with more people…

Breakfast again at Mulliri Vjeter and then I took a local bus to the south bus station and a bus to Berat, a Unesco world heritage site because of its collection of white ottoman houses climbing up the hill to the castle.  Took a bus to the castle/fortress and while wandering around joined an Italian group who were very welcoming and enjoyed a little tour with them.

Visited the Ethnographic Museum to see traditional clothes, tools, etc. which I really enjoyed and then walked along the river to the stone bridge so I could see the 1000 windows.  Crossed the river and stopped at a little hotel where I sat outside and had some baklava before taking the bus back to Tirana.

Later that evening I walked to E Jona and had a lovely dinner, i.e. a salad with “frico”, raisins, spinach, nuts and tomatoes followed by a rich brownie with ice cream as I sat outside on the patio…

After breakfast at Mulliri Vjeter I left my nice airbnb to check into Hotel Kruja where the Intrepid trip would start and then took a local bus to Kruja to see the old fortress and visit the very extensive Ethnographic Museum in an old house with interesting nicely restored rooms where people originally lived. 

Walked down a tunnel to the old mosque, interesting as it had no minaret and finally wandered into the street bazaar the town is famous for.  Back in Tirane, I walked down to the “Pyramid”, originally the Enver Hoxha Museum about the legacy of this long-time leader of communist Albania, it is now closed and possibly will be demolished…

Met our Intrepid group of 10 and then walked to Era for dinner, i.e. arugula salad with parmesan and cheese stuffed peppers in a very cute little place.  Walked to Sky tower and up to revolving bar where I enjoyed the view and a crème brulee.

Nice hearty breakfast at the hotel with delicious espresso and then an orientation walk of Tirana where I saw many things I had missed so far.  Stopped for coffee at Kommiti, a cozy little coffee bar and they went to the sky bar and I walked along the river.  Had an arugula salad and brownie outside on the patio of E Jona and then we met at the hotel to take the bus to Shkodra.  Walked up to the Rozafa Castle founded by the Illyrians in antiquity and rebuilt.

Walking tour at 7 p.m. to see the town followed by dinner at President, i.e. grilled vegetable platter with arugula, sitting outside on the terrace. 

Early morning transfer to Lake Koman where we boarded a ferry and spent about 3 hours enjoying the beauty.  Arrived at a guesthouse in Fierza where we took a walk to the lake and then later had a lovely dinner at the guesthouse nearby, i.e. special cheeses, peppers, olives, beets, salad with olives and oranges, trout and potato pancakes.  Quite nice. 

After a simple breakfast of homemade bread, jam and Turkish coffee we took a lovely walk through the valley, stopping once for coffee and again for lunch, i.e. spinach phyllo pie and shepherd’s salad (tomatoes, feta, peppers and cucumber). 

In the afternoon we walked over to one of the uncle’s homes and he talked about life under communisim.  Later in the evening we drove to a local restaurant where we had a fabulous dinner, i.e. potato/carrot soup with local bread, mixed greens with tomatoes, etc., fried cheese and peppers with eggplant in a casserole, corn and creamed cheese, crisp potato slices, yogurt with peppers, lamb and delicious nut cake with a creamy topping for dessert. 

In the morning, we crossed the border into Kosovo, Europe’s newest (official) country.  Stopped at the Decani Monastery, built in 1327, and known as the final resting place of Serbian King Stefan Unos III Decanski.  It is a place of stunning art heritage where monks still live.  On into Peja, the gateway to the Rugova Muntains. 

Had a quick look around before our orientation walk en route stopping at the folk museum which was very interesting.  Free time to visit the old bazaar, mosque, blood houses where the northern Albanians took refuge, etc.  Dinner at Kulla e Zenel Beut recommended by Trip Advisor, i.e. grilled fresh trout and Greek salad.  A peaceful atmosphere and delicious food.  Stopped for a baklava on my way back to the hotel…

Nice breakfast in the morning, pastries, cheese, honey, fruit and espresso.  Drove to Relaj, a village deep in the Rugova valley.  The Rugova mountains are nicknamed the cursed mountains and were declared a national park in 2013.  Stopped at the Monastery of Patriarchate in Pec, this complex of churches is the spiritual seat and mausoleum of Serbian archbishops and patriarchs.

Took a very pleasant 3 hour hike, stopping for lunch at a local family home, i.e. spinach pie, 3 layer pie, cornmeal pie, stuffed peppers, potatoes, vegetables and the ever present tomato/cucumber/feta salad.  We sat outside and it was lovely. 

Went to Prince in the square for chocolate cake and coffee later in the evening.

On our way to Prizren we stopped in Gjokove and wandered through the street bazaar on our way to the Hadum Mosque which was quite lovely.  Arrived in  Prizren at the foot of the Sar mountains and spent a couple hours in the house of Albanian League of Prizren where a monumental document was signed.   Orientation walk along the Bistrica river, over the stone bridge and around the cobbled Shadervan square and then free time to explore on our own.

It was a great city to walk around in and had the most delicious tres leches cake I have every tasted with a caramelized topping.  Dinner at Marashi by the river was grilled trout, nice but not worth the #1 Trip Advisor gave it!

Walked up to the Prizren Fortress in the morning built by the Byzantines in the 12^th century and it was the seat of power for the Ottoman rulers until their expulsion in 1912.  It started to rain so we headed down.  Went by van to the winery with an elephant on the label and tasted some of their wines along with a simple lunch.

Walked around the vineyards before heading back to town.  I walked up to the fortress again to really see it well and had another delicious tres leches cake before calling it a day…

Spent the day in the capital city of Pristina first heading to the Field of Blackbirds, which the country is named after and where the 1389 battle of Kosovo took place.  Visited the tomb of Sultan Murat, leader of the Ottoman Empire in the 14^th century and finally the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gracanica, a Serbian orthodox monastery filled with paintings and frescoes painted in the 14^th century.  There are 24 nuns residing there who are active in icon painting, etc.

Enjoyed a delicious lunch at Liburnia, a lovely restaurant with nice atmosphere and had fresh grilled trout with eggplant, peppers and mushrooms.  Stopped by a bear sanctuary where dancing bears had been rescued.  Back into town for the evening.

In the morning we crossed into Macedonia and arrived in Skopje about 2 p.m.  Had lunch and an orientation walk into the center of this very large city, stopping by Mother Teresa’s house, church on the square and through the large marble statues, fountains, etc. associated with very large cities.  Walked across the beautiful stone bridge to the bazaar and up to the fortress and later that night had a lovely dinner at House Restaurant near the center, i.e. delicious “tava”, stew with veal, chicken, eggplant, etc. and a kadaif dessert with nuts, honey and syrup – divine!

In the morning we drove to Canyon Matka, a beautiful spot along the river in the mountains where a couple of us took a ferry across the river and climbed up to the little church on top of the hill.  It was small but filled with beautiful frescos.  Free time in the afternoon so I visited the bazaar and the great fruit and vegetable market, contemporary art museum up on the hill and the national art gallery which I enjoyed very much.  There was an exhibit of Amen Kastrati on Albania life.

Stopped for an ice cream before visiting the memorial house relating to Mother Teresa who was born in Skopje in 1910.  We all met at 8:00 p.m. and walked to the Debar Maalo quarter for dinner which was very lively. I shared a mezzo platter with a few others, i.e. fried cheese, eggplant, chicken kebabs, etc. as we listened to some live music which was a great way to end our stay in Skopje.

After breakfast drove to Ohrid situated on Europe’s oldest lake and one of the oldest human settlements in the world.  After an orientation walk of the city we stopped at Potpie overlooking the lake and shared some delicious fried sardines, pizza and a couple salads.  Free afternoon.

Visited the church of St. Sophia, originally a Synod church and subsequently converted into a mosque during the Ottoman empire.  Today the interior of the church has been preserved with beautiful frescoes from the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th centuries.  Its superb acoustics make it very useful for concerts.  Walked up to the Tast Samoil’s Foress on top of Ohrid Hill and down to the 2,000 year old Roman theatre used for concerts in the summer.  Had a chocolate ice cream as I wandered back to the hotel along the lake.

Took a lovely walk along the lake in the morning and then we took two boats out to see the lake, stopping along the way for a nice swim.  Stopped by the Museum on the water, i.e. the bay of the bones which sheds some light on the life of prehistoric peoples living near the lake with its 24 prehistoric houses on a wooden platform placed above the lake. 

Visited the Sveti Naum monastery, an imposing sight on a bluff near the Albanian border.  There are some very impressive icons and frescoes inside.  Later in the evening we took a ferry to our restaurant and ate grilled trout outside on the patio listening to live music playing downstairs.  So very lovely…

Drove back to Tirana in the morning, confirmed my morning flight and then to E Jona for another delicious brownie and ice cream.   Stopped by Bunk Art 2 which was very similar to bunk Art 1 except a bit smaller and then walked to the artificial lake where I would have dinner later.  Returned to the hotel and met our group in the lobby to say good-bye.  They were dining together but I felt that our last night in Ohrid was really our last night…

Walked to Mullixhiu and had a lovely dinner outside on the patio, i.e. the six course metamorphosis menu with some variations.  Chef Bledar Kola makes wonderful dishes inspired by Albanian organic products.  He joined me while I was having dessert and it was delightful talking with him.

In the morning I walked to a nearby Mulliri Vjeter for a chocolate croissant and coffee before taking the bus to the airport where I caught a flight to Slovenia where I would spend some time before picking up another Intrepid trip in Budapest.  So far Eastern Europe has been a very pleasant surprise!

Arugula, Pear and Green Lentil Salad

1/2C French green lentils

1 bay leaf

½ small onion, halved

parsley stems

2 – 3C arugula

½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced

1/2C ricotta salata or manchego cheese, shaved

1/3C toasted pistachios or almonds

Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar

2 tsp. honey mustard

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 Tbsp. olive oil

Put lentils in a pan, add plenty of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer for a minute only.  Drain.  Return to the pan, add water to cover.  Add bay leaf, onion and parsley stems and simmer until tender but not mushy.  Drain and toss with 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette while warm.  Shake vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar.  Toss arugula, fennel and pear with vinaigrette to coat.  Add half the lentils and toss.  Add the pistachios and cheese and toss again.  Finally add the remaining lentils and toss again.  Divide among plates.

MAKES:  6 servings

Kauai – May 2018

Decided to visit my friend in Kauai as she planned to be around in May and is usually out travelling!!  Got a great fare on Alaska Airlines nonstop from San Diego, parked my car at Wally Parking and took a free shuttle to the airport.   Plane left about 7:05 a.m. and arrived at 10:45 a.m.  My friend met me at the airport and we stopped by Costco to get some fruit and cranberry walnut bread and then I settled in.  She has a lovely home near Anahola and I stayed in a little cabin behind her house.

Weather was balmy with some rain the whole time I was there which was to be expected on a tropical island.  We had a nice lunch together outside on the patio and then I took a walk to the beach nearby.  In the evening we sat out by the fire pit and had some delicious lentil soup which she had made and caught up with our lives…

Took a walk every morning and then fixed breakfast for us which we ate outside on the patio overlooking a field of goats and beautiful tropical plants.  So much great fruit to be had!!  She has papaya and mango trees and we found some great blueberries and pineapple along the way.  My first morning I headed to the sleeping giant trail, stopping at the Opaekaa Falls on my way.  The trail was very muddy which made the going difficult but it was a beautiful trail and took about 2 hours just to get to the 2 mile mark.  Stopped in coconut plaza for a delicious mung bean, cucumber, etc. salad with grilled ahi at the sleeping giant grill, a bit hard to find but well worth it!!!

The next morning after breakfast we drove to Kapa’a and rented bikes.  Rode a couple hours along the ocean which was so beautiful.  I felt like I could ride forever.  Met a friend of hers for lunch, i.e. shrimp pad thai noodles at a little Vietnamese café and later that evening we had dinner in Kapa’a at JO2, a little bistro in a shopping center I had read good things about.  She had the three course menu, i.e. wild mushroom pasta, mahi mahi with fresh vegetables and chocolate croissant bread pudding and I had a dish with poke and avocados on a tortilla underneath which was ceviche, a kale salad with duck confit and pistachios and a chocolate crème brulee.  Really nice meal.

Stopped by the Farmer’s Market in the morning and it was filled with great fruits, vegetables and all sorts of great things cooking.  We tasted some interesting macadamia nuts, cheeses, etc. before picking up some fresh kale and Swiss chard for later.  She dropped me off at the Kilohana sugar plantation and I visited the manor built in 1935 by Gaylord Parke Wilcox and learned all about sugar cane.  There is also a train you can take around the grounds and even have lunch at Gaylord’s Restaurant if you like.

Afterwards we spent a couple hours in the Kauai Museum which told the history of King Kamehameha and his dynasty as well as the history of old Hawaii – how the islands came to be and how they were ruled until Captain Cook discovered them.   Also listened to some ukulele music in the courtyard.  Drove back “home” and made a nice salad with the fresh kale we had bought and later we had lentil soup with the Swiss chard outside under the stars.

Even though it rained all night we got up early and headed to Waimea Canyon, stopping at Starbucks on the way for coffee and banana bread.  Entered the Koke’e State Park and stopped at some viewing points along the way but it was too foggy to see anything.  I hiked a beautiful trail down to Waipo Falls which took about 2 hours and there were some lovely views along the way.

Stopped at the Kauai Coffee Plantation to learn about the 4 million trees on the plantation that produce 60% of the state’s entire crop and then drove to Keoki’s Paradise near Poipu Beach for lunch on the veranda.  We shared a couple ono tacos which were delicious and so enjoyed the beautiful view of the palm trees, etc.

Got back just in time to change for dinner at Hukilau Restaurant in Kapa’a.  It was a five course menu, i.e. Sweet potato ravioli, Island gazpacho with basil sorbet, ono with quinoa pilaf, sesame linguini with crisp Kauai shrimp taro balls and vanilla crème brulee.  We sat outside and it was so beautiful…

In the morning I drove up to the Hindu Temple Monastery where I walked along the path to the temple, stopping at the giant banyan tree.  Inside the temple the swami was conducting a shiava pooja which was very interesting to see.  The grounds are lovely…A very peaceful place.

Drove down to the cute little historic town of Koloa and then stopped for lunch again at Keoki’s Paradise and enjoyed a local greens salad with macadamia nuts, goat cheese and grilled spicy shrimp followed by their famous hula pie, i.e. chocolate cookie crust, topped with macadamia nut ice cream and chocolate sauce with whipped cream on the side – decadent!!!

Drove to Poipu Beach and parked near the Grand Hyatt and then walked down to the beach to follow the Maha’ulepu heritage trail along the coast.  It was a challenging hike but very beautiful and took about 2 hours to complete.  Drove back and my friend made us a delicious pizza for dinner which we ate outside enjoying the sounds of the night.

Made a 9:30 a.m. reservation at Na’Aina Kai botanical gardens about 15 minutes away and chose the walk and ride tour which took about 3 hours.  We walked some and rode in a little cart through the beautiful unique gardens and trees and our guide pointed out the different flowers and plants.  There were also some lovely bronze sculptures throughout the gardens which made it unique.  We even saw a couple albatross!!!

Stopped at the Kilauea Lighthouse and wildlife refuge, an impressive 52 foot structure situated on a rocky peninsula 180 feet above the pacific ocean.  You can observe some red footed booby birds as well as wedge-tailed shearwaters through binoculars if you are lucky.  There is a lot of information about the wild life in the little museum/gift shop as well.

Took a nice walk in the afternoon and then we returned to JO2 for another nice dinner that evening.  We shared the seafood sampler, scallops in phyllo, salmon with butter sauce and caviar and ahi with linguini, the tempura vegetables and the warm chocolate cake.  A nice final meal and my flight leaves tomorrow…

Drove up to Princeville in the morning and saw a few albatross which seem to like to nest there.  On to Hanalei Bay to the pier where we parked and walked along the beach to see the flood damage.  So many houses were lost and even the land underneath was washed away…Stopped for breakfast at a cute little café and then drove back.  I took one last walk along the beach and then she drove me to the airport.  Lihue is such a small little airport that I was through security quickly so had enough time to have a couple delicious fish tacos at a little café near my gate. 

Called Wally Parking as soon as I landed and the shuttle came in minutes and drove me directly to my car.  A bit of a drive home, i.e. almost 1-1/2 hours but it went by fast.  It was a great trip and much too short!!!

Stromboli

Pizza dough ball

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 lb. prosciutto

5 oz. package baby spinach, cooked and squeezed dry

10 basil leaves

1/4C parmesan cheese

1/4C shaved asiago cheese

cornmeal

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. water (egg glaze)

roasted pepper sauce

2 red peppers, roasted, pureed

2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, sliced

Mix roasted pepper puree with fresh basil leaves and set aside.

Place the dough on a wooden board, cover with towel and let come to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 450F.  Roll out into a long rectangle about ¼-inch thick.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, top with one layer of prosciutto, spinach, basil, cheese and another layer of prosciutto, leaving a 1-inch margin on both short ends and one long side.

Begin rolling the dough over the filling on the side with no margins.  Roll the dough like a jelly roll, tucking in the filling as you go.  Pinch dough to seal seam and ends.  Coat a baking sheet with cornmeal; place Stromboli on baking sheet, seam side down.  Brush with egg glaze.  With a knife slash shallow diagonal vents every 2 inches to allow steam to escape.  Bake 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown.  Cut on bias

into 2-inch slices with serrated knife.  Serve with roasted pepper puree.

MAKES:  8 servings

Tennessee – April, 2018

Last year I started playing the guitar so decided to head to Tennessee this year to “hear the music”.  Quick Southwest flight to Nashville where I rented a car in town as it was $200 cheaper than renting from the airport!

Easily found my Airbnb studio using a GPS I brought along with me and settled in a bit before heading to Germantown for dinner at Henrietta Red on 4^th Street N., a great little restaurant buzzing with activity and a perfect first night choice.  Known for their fresh oysters I started with a fresh one, followed by a cauliflower steak sitting on sweet potato puree and topped with green salsa, hazelnuts and a few parsnip chips – it was delicious!!  My caramel chocolate cookie dessert with cocoa almonds was quite interesting as well, drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Stopped at Dozen Bakery in the morning which had some great pastries but the coffee was very disappointing so I didn’t return.  Took a tour of the Ryman auditorium with its church type pews as it began as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892 spearheaded by Thomas Ryman.  It can seat about 2300 people.  When he died in 1904 it was renamed Ryman Auditorium and became a cultural center for the performing arts.  The tour included visiting the dressing rooms and stage where famous people performed.

Afterwards I walked down to the Country Music Hall of Fame where I spent a couple hours learning about the history of the famous country music stars, i.e. Hank Williams, Roy Rogers as well as Elves Presley, Garth Brooks, etc.  Housed therein are some beautiful costumes, guitars, etc, as well as video clips of the famous singers.  A fabulous museum. 

Walked down the main street of Broadway where music pours out of every door and stopped for a quick tea and brownie before heading down to the waterfront and then to the hall of fame park.  Climbed the stairs up to the Capitol building on the hill along printer’s row and past some nice art galleries and then went back to my little studio to regroup.

About 7 p.m. I drove to the Gulch area for dinner at the Little Octopus and had a beet and goat cheese salad and some delicious grilled octopus with black lentils.  Chocolate cake with dulce de leche ice cream for dessert was nothing special…

Had reserved a seat at the Bluebird Café (one week ahead to the minute!) so arrived in time to park on the street and find my way in.  The café is very cozy and seats about 100 people in tables of 6 – 8 people.  Four guitarists played their own music as well as some more familiar songs, each playing in turn and never together.  It was wonderful and a must do when in Nashville.

Had a delicious cinnamon roll at the Frothy Monkey on 12^th Street S in the morning and returned a few more times as the coffee and atmosphere are unique.

Drove out to the Fontanel Mansion, former estate of Barbara Mandrell.  It is a 27,000 square foot “log cabin” with signed guitars from famous musicians all around.  Took a walk on one of the nice trails nearby and then drove to Martin’s BBQ in Belmont for a hocorn pulled pork “taco” with cole slaw.  Stopped by the Parthenon in Centennial Park but only saw it from the outside and will visit it when I return.

Back to the Airbnb to change clothes and then drove out to Opryland to the Grand Ole Opry House to see a country music performance in the new space where it moved from the Ryman in 1974 that holds more than 4,000 people.  It was a terrific experience.

Another delicious cinnamon roll in the morning before stopping at the Farmer’s Market which proved to be rather small.  There were some food stalls in the covered building but the market itself was pretty sparse.  On to Cookeville for a quick stop to see the railroad station and the little town before reaching Crossville where I visited the Homestead water tower and one of the homestead homes open to the public.  Drove into town for a quick cookie and tea and then out to Cumberland State park over the seven-arch bridge and walked around Byrd Lake.

Later I checked into my airbnb which was on deep draw road   where many of the homestead homes are located and then walked around to see some of these historic homes.  Had dinner in town later at the Pour House bistro, i.e. spicy shrimp tacos with Asian slaw and fudge pie with whipped cream, both delicious.

Took a nice walk along deep draw road to see a few more homestead homes in the morning and then, because it was Sunday, stopped at a Starbucks for coffee and banana bread.  Everything seems to be closed on Sundays in Tennessee!!!

As I drove towards Lynchburg it started to rain and it rained pretty heavily the whole day.  I wanted to visit the Tennessee Walking Horse museum in Wartrace, but it was closed so I took a tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery instead which was very interesting.  It was a walking tour around the plant to see how the whiskey is made and hear about how it all began, even how the jack daniels’ ducks ended up in Memphis!

Walked into the little town for a delicious pulled pork and jack cheese sandwich at Barrel BBQ and then drove to Shelbyville which is a really cute little town but everything was closed.  It was raining very hard by the time I reached Franklin so relaxed a bit in my airbnb room with shared bathroom before driving into town for dinner at Grays on Main Street.  Lots of cute little shops which I will see tomorrow when things are open again.

Dinner was a very tasty sautéed salmon filet on top of an arugula salad with spiced pecans, blue cheese, beets and pomegranate seeds.  Brownie with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce finished off the meal nicely.

Had breakfast at the Frothy Monkey to my delight that there was one in Franklin and then took a walk around town and around the park before taking a tour of the Carter House where a large battle took place during the civil war which was very interesting to learn about.  Picked up a cookie, water and made sure I had plenty of gas before heading out highway 96 to the Natchez Trace Parkway where I spent the day.

I stopped along the route to visit historic sites, waterfalls, tobacco houses and the memorial to Meriwether Lewis, the famous explorer who had a very unhappy life.  Stopped at a little site along the way to have my cookie as there is no place to get food unless you leave the Trace.  Arrived in Florence, Alabama about 5 p.m. and stayed at Bella’s cute little house close to town.

Dinner at City Hardware on Main Street was an ahi salad with mixed greens and a skillet chocolate chip cookie served warm with ice cream and caramel sauce – yummy!!

Stopped at the Riverton Café for a bran muffin and great coffee the next morning and then walked around town before driving to the Rosenbaum house for a tour of this 1939 middle income Unsonian home built by Frank Lloyd Wright and his only one in Alabama.  Built in an L-shape, the house is made from natural materials and most of the rooms have their own door to the outside. 

Walked up to the top of the nearby Indian Mound and then headed to Savannah on Highway 20, stopping to see Tom’s Wall, a memorial to his great great grandmother.  This wall of stone was built with each stone representing one step of her journey back to Tennessee from Oklahoma where she was sent…Very moving.

Stopped in the cute little town of Savannah for a tuna sandwich and brownie at the little local café called McPhee’s and arrived in Memphis about 5:30 p.m.  Stayed in a beautiful airbnb on front street south about 15 minutes from Beale Street and the riverfront.  Walked down to Beale Street and, like in Nashville, heard music coming out of every door.  There was a car show going on so about 50 unique cars were parked along the street with their hoods up which was fun to see.

Stopped by the Peabody Hotel to find out when the ducks march and then drove to midtown for dinner at Tsunami, a rather old-fashioned restaurant.  I had some delicious mussels in coconut curry sauce, spinach and goat cheese salad and crème brulee for dessert and then wandered around.  I found out about some venues nearby where I could hear music and learned about a couple of more “interesting” restaurants, information which I put to use as I really liked the area.

Had coffee and morning glory muffin at Bluff Coffee on my way into town and walked to the Pyramid along Riverside Drive.  It is filled with shops and a salt water aquarium.  Walked to the Peabody Hotel to see the famous ducks that come down the elevator at 11 a.m., get out and race along the red carpet to the fountain where they hop in.  At 5:00 p.m. they hop out and return to the elevator and go back to their “home” upstairs.  It was fun to see.

Took a guided tour of the Gibson guitar factory to learn how their famous guitars are made and why they are so famous and then walked to Rendez-vous, a little café off a side street and down some stairs where they have delicious dry rub ribs.  Stopped at A. Schwab store and had an ice cream outside while listening to some music.

Spent the afternoon at the Memphis rock ‘n’ soul Museum which gives a great overview of the music of the 50’s.  You can hear music, see all the memorabilia and learn about many of the artists who played music in Memphis.  A treasure of a museum!!

Later that evening I drove back to midtown to hear music at Bar DKDC where a band of 5 played some great music while I sipped on a glass of wine.  Had dinner next door at Beauty Shop which was superb, i.e. arugula salad with thin slices of apple, macona almonds and manchego cheese, duck with cherries and crème brulee.  A fun evening.

Had planned to go to Graceland in the morning but it was pouring rain so after coffee and a muffin at Bluff Coffee I drove over to Stax Museum dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of American soul music where I spent several hours.   The museum is filled with memorabilia, vintage guitars and even Issac Hayes’ crazy gold-plated Cadillac.  A fabulous collection of music clips, etc. of Otis Redding, Tina Turner, etc.

Stopped at the Cozy Corner for ribs, corn and cole slaw – excellent just as all the guide books said!!  Finished the day at the Metal Works Museum featuring “everyday objects” by Joseph Anderson which was superb.  There is also a permanent exhibit of unique gates, etc. made out of metal as well as a working foundry and a nice sculpture garden. 

As the rain had stopped I took a walk along Front Street to the river and later drove out to Lafayette’s in midtown for some music.  There was a $5 cover charge and the guy who performed played the guitar and harmonica now and then with another singer. 

Drove back into town, parked my car and walked to Catherine and Mary on Main Street for dinner, i.e. crisp Brussels sprouts with burnt ends, quail with mushrooms and polenta and a brownie with walnut ice cream.  Very nice meal.

Walked Riverside drive in the morning along a “fitness” course and then spent most of the day at Graceland.  First I visited some of the museums housing many clothes Elvis Presley wore, guitars he played, etc. as well as how he was discovered with several video clips of him performing – what a life he had.  Took a tour of the mansion where he lived with his wife and daughter and where he eventually had a heart attack and died at the age of 42.  Took a break and had a cookie and tea before driving to Sun Studios where he was “discovered”.

Had to wait a bit but it was worth it to take the tour and to hear an audio clip of Elvis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash “jamming” together…Walked down Beale Street before stopping on Main Street for dinner at Flight, i.e. harvest salad with spiced pecans and goat cheese, duck with sweet potato casserole and a chocolate dessert flight, i.e. brownie with peanuts and caramel gelato, a lava cake with vanilla gelato and a chocolate chip soufflé.

Checked out the Farmer’s Market nearby after coffee in the morning but it was pretty small so drove north to Murray near Land between the Lakes, stopping in Jackson to visit the railroad museum.  Found a cafe in town and stopped for tea and a brownie and then checked into the cabin where I stayed the night.  Drove out to the Lake Barkley Bridge at Land between the lakes and walked across the bridge and back.  It was lovely.  Pulled pork sandwich at the Keg for dinner.

Had great coffee at Future coffee before crossing the bridge again and following the trace to the Visitor’s Center to find out what to do in Land between the lakes recreation area located in Kentucky and Tennessee between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.

First I visited the nature center to see some owls, deer, etc. in their natural habitats.  Afterwards I walked around the Hematite Lakes and finally spent the afternoon at Homeplace, an 1850s working farm museum with restored historic structures, interpreters in period clothes going about their daily chores, reliving history before the civil war.  It was quite fascinating.

Stayed the night in Clarksville.  Wandered around the cute little town and down along the Cumberland River.  Had a delicious arugula salad with grilled salmon and a little jar of key lime pudding at the newly opened Strawberry Alley Ale.  While dining I got a call from my Nashville airbnb telling me my reservation had been cancelled so I regrouped and found another place to stay which was actually quite easy.  I really love staying in airbnbs all over the world!!!

Took a lovely walk along the river in the morning and then found a nice coffee spot near the University for breakfast. Drove to Hurrican Mills to visit Loretta Lynn’s Mansion, mill, her childhood home and museum filled with memorabilia of her life.  Well worth the drive.

Stopped at the Frothy Monkey in Nashville for a quick cookie and tea and then took a tour of Belle Meade Plantation which was excellent.  First there was a guided tour of the beautifully preserved mansion and the reminder was self-guided throughout the grounds to visit the smoke house, carriage house, etc.  Very well kept up.  Checked into my new airbnb which was very nice and private and later had dinner at Chef & I at the counter watching a lady chef cook.  I had a cauliflower crostini with whipped goat cheese and pistachio pesto, arugula salad with apples and candied nuts topped with sesame crusted tuna and a chocolate crème brulee for dessert.  Very nice.

My last Frothy Monkey banana bran muffin and coffee in the morning before visiting the inside of the Parthenon which has a very nice selection of art and the famous gold leaf colossal 42 foot high statue of the Greek goddess Athena.  Walked around the lake in Centennial Park and then stopped at the Yellow Porch for lunch, i.e. Greek salad with eggplant, mushrooms, artichokes, couscous and chocolate torte for dessert. 

Returned the car at the airport and walked across the street to the terminal – really convenient!!!  Another great trip!!