Friday, June 08, 2007
ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER'S WISH LIST
Alabama is on my traveller's wish list, high today, not high normally, admittedly rather low, but is it on the wish list, because I have not visited it although I have seen half of America's states including several in Nashville, Tennessee. Yes, I have visited several popular places associated with writers such as Poe and singers such as Presley and Parton, and bought souvenir postcards and books on writers, songwriters, singers and songwriting. But who, immortally famous, comes from Alabama?
Alabama is the home of two or three Americans who are watching my blogs - Alabama? I thought of asking them to tell me about Alabama but decided that it would sound rude to admit that my knowledge of Alabama is so sketchy, a bit black and white, that the only images I associate with the historical deep south and Alabama were the Civil War, killing black people and marrying girls aged 12 wearing little white dresses.
I confess I should know better and more because I have actually been to Alabama. But although I used to be a travel writer, I never found the Alabama tourist board at the American travel trade Pow Wow, and they never found me. However, I'm always keen to add new places to my list of been there, done that, so when I was in New Orleans we drove into Alabama. But after several miles of seeing nothing interesting my driver insisted on turning back to the jazzy attractions of New Orleans.
To be polite to my Alabama readers, I should first check out Alabama on the Internet and find something warm to say about the tourist attractions of their region. Where would I find tourist information and houses of famous residents - from the tourist board of course. Onc click and up on the computer screen is all you and I and anybody else would want to know - the Hank Williams Trail. Although I'm a rabid lover of country music, you can tie me to a chair by playing Patsy Cline, it took me a second to recall Hank Williams, who sang "Hey good lookin' ". What else? "Your Cheating Heart."
The Museum in Montgomery, like any good old American museum, has the coloured car - blue -with haunting memories, this being the car he died in.
Highlights and landmarks of the trail include:
Mount Olive, Hank Williams' birthplace.
Georgiana - Boyhood Home and museum.
Montgomery - Life-size statue of Hank holding his guitar opposite (Americans say across from) the Municipal Auditorium (now offices) where his funeral was held for 2,750 mourners, with an estimated 20,000 standing outside in the cold.
Oakwood Cemetery nearby has a wreath-laying ceremony on New Year's Day followed by music at the museum.
Alabama's Music Hall of Fame is in Tuscumbria.
Traveller's Calendar
New Year's Day - Oakwood Cemetery and Montgomery Museum
First Saturday in June music celebration.
What else is there to see in Alabama? Any romantic restaurants with mood music and memorabilia or amazing views, or hotels with honeymoon suites? Please tell me.
angelalansbury@hotmail.com
If anybody can send me a picture of Alabama, its attractions and Hank Williams, or which is out of copyright or available free to journalists and bloggers promoting something suitable. I'd be glad to receive it.
My websites include: annalondon8.googlepages.com
Alabama Tourism Websites:
thehankwilliamsmuseum.com
alamhof.org
Labels: Alabama, Hank Williams 'Hey good-looking' songs
