Life on Broadway!...no, not THAT Broadway...

Hey!!!
I hope you've been enjoying the start of this wonderful year, 2014. This has been the most exciting start to a year I've ever had.

So in the last few days I've been going around town seeing what Nashville has to offer. A street near the one I'm living on called 12th Avenue South has all these cute vintage shops. Apparently lots of the guys from the show Nashville go to these shops a lot, so hopefully I'll see some of them.

I had a lot of trouble finding an ATM, as it seems you need a car in this town to almost do anything. As well as this, I'm starting to realise I probably need to learn to cook some things... as yoghurt and cheese sticks can only take you so far. 

Anyway, today I decided to venture out to Downtown Nashville where Broadway is, with all the Honky Tonks and famous landmarks. The Google Maps application, which had so far been amazing in showing me where to go, seemed to lose it's sense of direction today (which is not exactly what you want in a directory app...) It said that the bus stop was in the middle of a park. Really google? However, I found a bus stop a short walk away and I was about 50 metres away from it when the bus came, so I started running with my bag falling off my shoulder and my hair flying into my mouth as I panted running up the hill, probably looking like a maniac to everyone else, and guess what?! I MISSED THE BUS. Normally in Melbourne that's no big deal. But here... Well let me say, waiting for a bus where there's no seat or shelter for 50 minutes in 4 degrees = not so fun. But Broadway was calling me (as theatrical Jazzy would say), so I stood and waited and waited and waited and eventually it arrived. As soon as we reached Broadway there were tourists everywhere. So me being me had looked up everywhere I wanted to go beforehand and knew Broadway like the back of my hand. I was practically a local (apart from the fact that I'm from a different continent). 

There was so much to see on Broadway, but no doubt I'll be going back before I leave Nashville. I saw Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, the world famous Honky Tonk bar, I saw several boot shops that sold hundreds of different cowboy boots (y'all know I'll be going back there), I saw Bridgestone Arena, home to the CMA Awards and where all the top acts play when they're in town, and my overall favourite was definitely seeing the Ryman Auditorium. This place is filled with stories from where Johnny Cash and June Carter met, to becoming the home of the Grand Ole Opry where todays stars from all genres perform. I took the guided tour which led us backstage (although we weren't allowed to take photos there). We went into the dressing rooms that Dolly Parton gets ready in and where LeAnn Rimes preps to go onstage. We even got to go onto the stage and see where the band has their instruments and what it looks like looking out into the audience. You could get a photo on the stage pretending to sing and play guitar, but I said I'd wait until I got to sing on the stage for real with an audience (which hopefully will be soon if you amazing fans keep supporting me like you are:D ). I can't even explain how amazing this place is. If you come to Nashville, it is the number 1 place you must visit. You have to see it to believe it. 

Tomorrow I've got my first day at the Bluebird so I'm super excited for that. Apparently I'll be selling merchandise to the guys on the Gray Line tour. Maybe one of them will be able to drive me home so I don't have to wait an hour for a bus?

Now I think I'm gonna see if I can go to the supermarket, because my cheese stick supply is running low and my yoghurt supply is gone. Maybe I should buy some real food.... I'll consider it. 

Be sure to come back to see what I've been up to (if you want to). This town is so exciting.