Tuesday, September 06, 2011

it's called the Dixie Stampede....


All over Pigeon Forge are billboards.. which are kind of strange to us, because we don't have billboards around here. They advertise all these "entertainments".. and after asking around, we chose to go and see the "Dixie Stampede".. partly because it's "part" of Dollywood (so we expected it would be good) and partly because it was all about horses. We also made plans to meet up with our friend Glen for dinner, and since he had never seen a show, he thought it might be fun to go and see.





It's both dinner and a show, and since we didn't know much about it, we went over to buy the tickets and scout it out. One thing for sure, they certainly had a beautiful barn.....













and horses!!!!













Now THIS feels like home ... wonder what they need Percheron's for????




















The outside doesn't look that big.....

















So, we arrived for the show, and started off browsing in the gift show. The first thing that caught my eye... a Painted Pony. I collect them, and the Dixie Stampede has their very own (sadly, none in the shop to be bought... though I did find another but I would like to get my hands on one of these!!!)










They do a "pre show"... it was very, very good. These folks are awarding winning performers and I thought if this is just the pre show, we're in for a treat with the real show....












Here's the arena... They serve a four course meal during the show. It was super good.....but then they announce NO pictures during the show, so the few I snuck in will have to try and tell you how good it was.










They had a number of musical numbers.. one was a tribute to the native Americans... complete with Buffalo!!! (so wished I could have snap a pic of them)... it was excellent... and then a number about the north and the south.. and just all kinds of things. But towards the end I just loved this show with the horses, lights and flags....













At the end, they allowed photos, and you could go out onto the floor with the performers and horses...










It was so good, it's almost too hard to describe.. but if you get the chance to catch a show do go.. and the Percheron's... were used to pull the covered wagons...(of which there were two)... so the Dixie Stampede... tops on my list. We had such a good time, meal and enjoyed the evening with Glen (which I should have taken a photo of us together!!!)















Just for the record... Camille thinks traveling is very tiring!!!!
























the great smokey mountains...


Today, the weather was a little better, though we had heard on the news that tropical storm Lee was a slow mover. So, expect showers and maybe some down pours every now and again. After getting so wet yesterday, we really weren't in the mood to walk around, and decided that a drive up in the Great Smokies might be a fun thing to do.








We had never seen them up close and I am so glad that we took the time to check them out.















The views were amazing and even those these photos are pretty good, they just don't compare to the real thing.










Another couple was trying to take their photo, so I offered a trade, I would take their picture if they would take ours. (wished I had looked in a mirror before we did.. I look a bit wind blown)...but since the wind was really howling, oh well......









I thought this was kind of funny. "My dog can do such a good stay, that I can leave her in one state, while I go to another one!!!!" I am in Tennessee, and Camille is in North Carolina!!!!











The rest of the photos, will simply speak for themselves. But if you ever do travel south, take the time... certainly one of God's most beautiful work!!!!