Great Smoky Mountains
We spent a fun and relaxing vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. For the first few days we stayed in Gatlinburg at the Glenstone Lodge. Gatlinburg is situated on the edge of the National Park, squeezed in a tiny valley, and has been a tourist destination for many years. It was our first visit. The town itself is quite small, and businesses are packed onto the main Parkway and a few side streets. Walking is the expected mode of transportation, so pedestrian traffic always has the right of way.
The social hall is quite a large room, and on this night there were well over a hundred people there. Karaoke is a family event, and children are encouraged to sing. People sit at their tables, clapping, singing along, talking amongst themselves, eating and drinking whatever refreshements they brought, while the karaoke continues non-stop onstage. It was then that we had our memorable Independence Day moment. The MC announced that someone was going to sing The Star Spangled Banner. The singer was a girl of about 12 years old. There was no fanfare, no rehearsal, no special request for attention, but when the music came up with that familiar introduction, the entire room went silent, and everyone stood up in unison and started singing on the first note. It didn’t matter that you could hardly hear the girl onstage. It was just one of those moments that make our national birthday memorable.