Dollywood!

Today was set to be hot and sunny and after Jenny's browbeating via Skype we determined to visit Dollywood, as her proxy! We arrived at 9:30 am and already there were cars in the car park before us. Swap Dolly Parton for Mickey Mouse in Disneyland and there you have it. Actually, there are a number of differences and all visitors are told to have a happy day, just like Dolly. Our visit began in the bakery as we'd missed breakfast, so coffees and a muffin were in order. Waiting in-line we noticed the fruit pie on display ..... each slice four inches deep and weighing a pound, at least. Just outside was a stand selling milk-shakes, one offering being a 'Pie Shake'; ice-cream, cold milk, and pie, blended to perfection!!

We stopped to admire one of Dolly's early tour buses and then took-in the 'My People Show'. This involved a number of the singer's friends and close family singing her hit songs in sync with an interactive video of  Dolly Parton. A great show, following which we chatted outside with a her cousin and one of her nieces ..... nice people.

Dollywood is a very family oriented park and the staff are all friendly. You certainly get the impression that the singer has done an awful lot for the area (the park employing 2,400 people) and she funds a book program, through which all children in the County is gifted a book on their birthday, up to the age of five. Dollywood also boast several neat roller coasters.

Having made our way around the Park and visited its many attractions, we took in one last show, by The Kingdom Heirs. What can I say, they've been entertaining in Dollywood for twenty-nine years and most of the packed audience had seen them before. In effect the group comprised four close-harmony singers plus three instrumentalists and their style? Southern Gospel, of course!

I guess it was a case of sit back and feel uncomfortable for us, although for the majority of the audience it was just what the doctor ordered ..... 'Amen' being vocalised loud and often. As for me personally, I formed the view never to trust any post-1960s group that wears grey trousers and matching Oxford shirts. A matter of personal taste, I guess. No surprise then as to my musical closure note, today ...... Dolly and "Smoky Mountain Memries"