: Opulence in, white walls out
GO HERE THIS FORTNIGHT
Great views, but what abou thefood? 4”“
my r I . z: ‘ — ‘l
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at of race
Nashville’s centre may have. been ravaged by recent development, but it offers
one hell of a welcome
On a weekend sprint through TENNESSEE Mark Robertson goes in search of some good old Southern hospitality.
outhern hospitality. A notion as tired and cliched
as the refined tea-sipping English gentlemen or
brew-loving. slacker Aussie. America‘s South has often been branded a social and emotional backwater. and it‘s the negative aspects of this cliche — inherent racism. blind imperialism and insular living — that have been prominent in minds of late: thanks largely to its most infamous progeny: George W Bush.
But cliches work both ways. And on the evidence of
this briel‘ trip. Southern hospitality is deserving of quite a celebration.
Named after Cherokee Indian village ‘Tanasi'. Tennessee is a modern US state that displays all the (often contradictory) facets of modern America. The sheer scale of the country cannot be fully comprehended by someone who has spent the majority of his existence on a tiny island that former cricketers can traverse in days in the name of charity. Such teats are not so easily taken on here.
I was dropped in for a whirlwind weekend in Nashville which. along with Memphis. can be tagged
the l'S‘ most t‘ruitl'ul musical l‘ount ol‘ the last llll)
years. It tnay be a mecca for fans ol both kinds ol music — country and western -— but the heart oi
Nashville has. like most modern developed American cities. become something of a ghost of its former sell‘. Most residential space has been over taken by business. spreading the cultural base oi the city over a much wider expanse. Walking down Broadway and a levy other satellite streets. however. you get a llavour ol‘ the old Nashville. The weather is balmy. the country music ubiquitous and the locals responsive to visitors. A mish mash ol~ traditional honky tonks and nightclubs booming out country and hip hop vie for your attention. but don’t always succeed. jammed as they are between a plethora of spots to eat. drink and recuperate.
Further along Broadway. Robert‘s Western World has has no shortage ol‘ character — it doubles as a boot store and cult country stars BR-S-l‘) were. up until recently. the house band. But the laid back vibe isn’t what I was looking for. so I head a few doors down to the uncryptically titled Stage. A packed house is
Population 569, 891
Flights to Nashville via earlieramass;baa Airlines start at around £334 A
from.Edinburg'hmor'élasgow.
www.flightcomparisons.co.uk Nashville Hilton suites start at £93 per night.
www.nashvillehilton.com.
www.nashvillenet.
www.lynchburgtn.com and
www.jackdaniels.com for
more info.
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