Adventures in Nashville

I went to a conference last weekend, and the beginning of this week.  In addition to all the luncheons, meetings, continuing education sessions, and networking, I was able to go out and see some things.

Arriving on Saturday, I left my bags at the hotel and headed out to Celebrate Nashville!  It was a very hot day and I forgot to take a hat, so part of the time I was huddling in shade with everybody else.  I think a vendor was selling parasols because I saw a number of them in different colours.  I didn't find those and because I didn't have a tote bag, I wasn't interested in buying much, but I did find soaps.

I watched some of the dance performances and listened to music and ate a number of things, plus got an iced lemonade:

  

Taiyaki - traditional custard and nontraditional cheese; a "spinach filled pita" from the balkan foods truck, an alfajor and the lemonade, not from the same stand.  There were so many other things I wanted to try, but it was very hot which diminishes my appetite.  And the lines for ice cream and italian ice were very long.

While eating I discovered there was a music tent in the foods area, so sat under a tree, wound yarn, and enjoyed listening.  Eventually the festival ended and I headed back to the hotel for a nice shower and rehydrating, and to watch college football (Michigan lost).

The next morning began the first of the "Team Turtle Walks", where I led groups on different routes around Nashville, with bits of history where I found some.  It's partly networking and partly to get out and moving before spending a day in the convention center.  The first day we walked out to Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, walking over the river where ecstatic fans had thrown the goalposts the night before, in wild celebration of Vanderbilt's first victory over Alabana in fifty or so years of football competitions.  We also walked over the bridge where John Bonjovi had talked a woman back from the edge a few weeks ago.

At the State Capitol, obligatory photo op.

Other days we did a civil rights and the law walk, on roads named for Rep. John Lewis, Rosa Parks, and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., past the Estes Kefauver Federal Building and the State Capitol; another along Broadway and around the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and the Ryman Auditorium; and the final day took us to the library:

I am holding the turtle that is mascot of our walks.

Also on Sunday I played hooky for a bit and with a friend; we have a tradition of spending time together at the Annual Meetings in what he jokes to his husband is a "Same Time, Next Year" adventure.  It was my turn to plan so we started at the Parthenon (I'd seen it the day before during Celebrate Nashville, but it was a surprise for him) and then to "Dragon Park":

Of course a photo of me with the sufferagists.

The meetings started on Sunday evening, and there aren't many photos worth sharing.  I did wear a mask every day, and some people track me down to see what that day's quote or information says.

I did get my share of swag, but didn't overdo - except that I took plenty (mostly Goo-Goo Clusters) back to share with others in the Legal Department during our in-person All-Hands meeting next week.

Items from my network's sponsor - and no, I am NOT sharing the duck!