Our Vacation in a nutshell!!

I can't believe we've been back over a week already, and I haven't had time to blog about it!!! After a grueling, exasperating experience with Enterprise Rent-A-Car (which I'll save for another blog entry), we left Northeast Ohio (35-40 degrees and rainy) at 5:00 in the morning and drove straight to Cave City, Kentucky. We got there about noon (our time, 11:00 their time) and went right to the Mammoth Cave National Park (60-70 degrees and sunny).(please note the green things - they tell me that they're trees with actual leaves - and the lack of winter coats)

We took the 2 hour, 2 mile Historic Tour, and it was absolutely fascinating!!!

It's weird - I prefer to have doors open when I'm in a room, but I have no problems being 300 feet below the ground...

After a night in Cave City, we drove into Nashville and went right to the Parthenon

The boys - Kelson especially - were amazed. After the Parthenon, we went to the other side of town and toured the Hermitage. We took the wagon ride, which takes you to the back of the property... and the site of the field workers' cabins. And there were flowers...a foreign concept to a northerner in April! After spending the night on that side of town, we took the boys to the Opryland Hotel...to "look around. " We told them that it was waaaaay too expensive to stay, but anybody can look around and shop. Big surprise - my parents had bought us a night in the hotel....and my sister's family, too! We planned to surprise the boys at dinner when we "accidentally" ran into Michelle and the gang. Michelle and I were the ones surprised, though, when Mom and Dad showed up!!! That was absolutely incredible!!!!!

They bought our dinner, and they sprung yet another surprise on us....which I will tell you about very, very soon!!!! It's a biggie, though!!!

:-)

A panaramic view from the balcony of our room:

Friday morning, we packed up and started back for home. We went back to Mammoth Caves, with the hopes of taking the New Entrance tour, but a tour group had come in that morning and purchased every ticket for every tour of the day. So, instead, we went to Diamond Caverns, which was worth every penny:

After a drive through Lexington, Kentucky (note: avoid this entire part of the state on a Friday afternoon!!) we finally found a motel room in Maysville, Kentucky. (another note - only stop in Maysville if you're desperate for a bed and a meal. 'Nuf said). We got up and left in the morning, and made a stop at the Serpent Mound. Of course, by this time we were back in Ohio and it was 40 degrees and raining...

We got home Saturday afternoon, (after driving through a snowstorm on I-71) and I collapsed in a big heap. We had a really good time, though!!!