One day we took an aerial tramway from the city to Ober Gatlinburg, "a year round-mountain of family fun," as the brochure says.
The scenery going up the mountain was full of green trees. The city quickly disappeared.
As we were going up I thought about the tram in Wyoming and said to Dan, "I guess we won't see any moose or bear." Shortly after that the guide pointed out the Wildlife Encounter where a bear was crossing through. We thought that was very funny! The bear is in the center of this picture.
In the winter nine slopes are available for skiing and snowboarding. But in the summer there are an alpine slide, miniature golf, Kiddie Land of rides, arcade, shops, and restaurants.
An indoor ice skating rink is in the center of the enclosed mall.
Although mostly families with small children were the main visitors, it was interesting to see.
On the way back down we noted many small and large houses and condos nestled in the mountainside.
We passed the tram that was coming up the mountain.
This is a view of the city as we traveled down.
We won't be here when the leaves change, but I can imagine what a beautiful sight it is in the autumn.
Another attraction in town is the Hollywood Star Cars Museum which is filled with cars from past movies and television shows. As we walked through we affectionately remembered "the good old days" of movies and tv. At each stop there was a poster with information about the vehicle. There were about 30 of them, and here are a few that we liked.
The Love Bug
Flintstones mobile
Beverly Hillbillies truck
Andy of Mayberry's Police car
MASH (Dan's favorite show)
Dolly Parton's 97 Cadillac (same year as ours)
There was a video of the man who designed and customized many of the vehicles. He described the process and what went into making them. We were quite impressed with the collection.
One of the ladies that I work with recommended a visit to Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens.
We were not allowed to take pictures inside. It consisted to 12 galleries with over 100 lifelike biblical figures. We walked from one room to another reliving the life of Jesus. Each scene was narrated with words from the bible. We both thought that it was very well done. It was a refreshing step away from the hectic bustle of the city.
The gardens included flowers and statues. One of the most interesting carvings in the prayer garden was the Face of Christ sculpture which was added in 2010. The face is three feet tall and is carved in a concave manner that as you walk back and forth in front of it, the entire face seems to move in your direction. It wa amazing!
Here are some other pictures of the garden.
Crown of thorn plant
We still have lots more places to visit and food to eat in Gatlinburg. It's a great little city!
Our jobs are going well. We both agree that the most challenging part is grouping the guests to get on the ride. It's very hectic and fast moving, and sometimes the people just don't get it. The park is now open 10-10 as part of the "Great American Summer." Our rides close at 8 and 9 because we don't have lights so we get out earlier than some.
Our daughter Donna and family are coming to visit this week, and we are looking forward to showing them the park and enjoying Dixie Stampede.
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