Thirty Years and Counting

Today my husband and I celebrated thirty wonderful years of “happily married life!” To celebrate, we took a trip to the North Carolina Mountains. We stayed in Cherokee, NC and then enjoyed a half day trip in Bryson, NC on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad – Nantahala Gorge Excursion. We rode first class coach on the MacNeill. The trip was well worth it. One “must stop” is the Choo Choo Coffee shop where we bought homemade jellies. We sampled several and bought three: Kudzu Blossom Jelly (made with real Kudzu), Old Fashioned Traffic Jam (Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries) and Creamed Honey. Place orders from their website.

There were many attractions in Cherokee; we were not able to visit them all. More information can be found on Trip Advisor. While in Cherokee we visited the following attractions: Oconaluftee Islands Park, Cherokee Baptist Church, and the famous casino. Let me provide an overview of each. 

The park attraction featured a clear wading river with open places for picnicking, relaxation and pure family fun.

Our visit on Sunday to Cherokee Baptist Church was warm and inviting. The members were predominantly Cherokee natives along with visiting bikers and other members and guests. The congregation sang verse one of Amazing Grace in English and the last verse in Cherokee. That was awesome! Danny Sweet, a visiting preacher, delivered an awesome message from Psalm twenty-three.

The most unusual visit was to the casino. I refuse to recognize the formal name of this attraction. An old press release published that an “Eastern Band of Cherokee Tribal Council” approved this casino in January 2007 by an overwhelming vote. It opened Labor Day weekend 2010. Since its grand opening they have added Paula Deen’s Kitchen and will soon open a food court and other shops. We were in and out in less than thirty minutes. Oh the sites we saw! There was a father on a second floor landing zone away from the machines “babysitting” his two young children who were in a double stroller. I assume he was watching his wife gambling down below. There were many, many, senior adults; presumed retirees. I saw a young woman begging (assumed husband) to let her play one more time. Most likely the Tribal Council believed that their approval of this casino would bolster their economy on the reservation but from my observation of the surrounding property this did not happen. There were many vacant hotels, and for rent signs in store front windows. The casino is in business for profit and no monies are spent to revitalize the reservation or boost tourism in Cherokee. No – we did not play any machine!