Thursday, October 6 – We drove the MH about three hours East to Asheville, NC, this morning. We are staying at Cove Creek RV Park which is about 25 miles east of Asheville. Pretty bare-bones campground, but they accept Passport America everyday all year round! We are certainly out in the country! Should be good and dark out here when the sun goes down. Beautiful countryside. The leaves are just beginning to turn colors. Will be astonishing here in about 10 days!
Looking up at our site
We took a ride to Asheville this afternoon to stop at the visitor's center and pick-up some brochures. We have too many things planned for the six days we will be here.....have to set our priorities! While in Asheville we took a self-guided tour of downtown. They call it the Urban Trail/Public Art Walking Tour.
Most streets are narrow and crowded with stores, cafes and specialty shops.
Let me just say the hippie movement is alive and well in Asheville. There are hundreds of young people dressed accordingly (think 1966) just hanging out downtown. The parks are full, the benches along the streets are occupied, they are playing musical instruments for handouts, many of the stores and street vendors target their eclectic choice of shopping, and there are an abundance of artsy shops, restaurants, and bars to hang out with their friends.
Can you see the tie dye clothing?
Indoor shopping.
Flat Iron Architecture is a replica of one used by a local laundry.
Appalachian Stage…five bronze figures of dancers and musicians celebrate the significance of Appalachian culture in the community.
Cat Walk…this station is a favorite on the Urban Trail.
We did see some interesting historical sights. Our favorite was the Basilica of Saint Lawrence. What a beautiful church. It has some amazing architectural features. Especially, the dome in the main cathedral. It is constructed from individually laid bricks. How was that built and how does it stay up there? Amazing!
This is one of only 56 Basilicas in the United States. Basilica is a special designation given by the Holy Father to certain churches because of their antiquity, dignity, historical importance or significance as a place of worship.
The lunette over the main entrance represents Christ giving the keys of the kingdom to Peter and appointing him head of the Church.
The ceiling is a huge dome stretching out 82 feet by 58 feet and is considered the largest free standing elliptical dome in North America.
You can see the dome roof from this angle.
The walking tour was nice, but a bit confusing to follow. If you want to see the city though, this is the way to do it. It took us about an hour and half to see the sights.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see ya'll back real soon. Have a great day!
We hear that Ashville is a really neat town. I went to a blacksmith convention there years ago but didn't see much of the town. It's on the list.
ReplyDeleteWe will be there in a couple of weeks and will be heading for an antique shop called the Tobacco Barn. That will be only our first stop. Thanks for sharing your suggestions.
ReplyDeleteGreat tour! That Basilica is a beautiful building for sure. Thanks also for the explanation of what a Basilica actually is. I just figured anyone could name their church whatever they wanted!
ReplyDeleteAsheville certainly is a "unique" isn't it? It is only 1hr and 45 min from our site in Dillard, GA.
ReplyDeleteWe have to add walking tours to our itinerary now that my knees are better. You capture the most interesting things. Love reading about what other RVers discover.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a safe trip to Ashville. Aren't the colors just beautiful and they aren't peaked yet. I am so looking forward to the next few weeks to watch the change.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't been very good at blogging since we've been in Murphy. Every day has been perfect for motorcycling so we are burning up the roads. Our pictures are mounting, however.
After hearing about Asheville for many years, we finally made it there last year, and fell in love. What a diverse, vibrant, lovely town! I'm too much of a westerner to ever settle in the east - but Asheville would have been a contender otherwise.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a place Doug and I would really enjoy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat little place. I love all the statues that they have. The basilica is beautiful. You see lots of churches similar to that down here in Mexico and I love them all. The campground look nice and peaceful, just the way we like them.
ReplyDeleteKevin and Ruth
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
Looking forward to the rest of your tour. We really enjoyed our time there a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteBea and I were there years ago! Just love it! The farmers market there is one of the best! I love the Jam's they sell. Colors look good there. Unjoy your posts! Hi from Yuma! I see you know Boomers Laure and Odell.
ReplyDeleteAsheville is a pretty popular spot for lots of reasons. The area is beautiful too.
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