Gatlinburg 2017

Not a con, but this is my blog, so we're talking about it haha. In February, Michael and I went to Gatlinburg to celebrate our first official Valentines day as well as my birthday. It was an amazing experience. We picked this location because everything else was closed or too far away. This was only about three hours away. Michael drove when we went to Georgia, so it was my first time driving out of state. First stop was the aquarium. We got to pet the tops of Jellyfish! I never realized how solid they are. When you touch them, they try to reach your fingers like they're just little balls of a nervous system and anger haha The aquarium was a bit too pricey, but it was a lot of fun, so it was worth it.

We didn't realize that Gatlinburg was just a tourist trap strip mall type of thing. So there was actually a lot to do right there, but it wasn't the best sort of fare. Still, we made the most of it and had a blast. The strip is still really beautiful. Michael loves to go Mini golfing, so we did that. There was an indoor one that was adventurer themed (Indiana Jones) and it was so silly, but a lot of fun. We still have the golf score card on our fridge. He wanted me to keep it because he kicked my butt so hard >:C

We ate dinner at a steak house at the end of the strip and it was awful service. Our server forgot about us because she was talking to her friends for an hour. We eventually got served by another woman who was apologetic. I've never not left a tip before, but after begging to have our receipt brought to us so we could pay and her getting mad she had to leave the conversation with her friends, I felt it justified. The food was good, but the service leaves a LOT to be desired. After that, we checked out a few gift shops with some strange goods and headed back to the hotel. It was in the strip and the hotel had black bears all over the sign which was cute. It wasn't the nicest, but a perfect place to lay your head for the night and it was an excellent location. Definitely worth the price!

The next morning, we grabbed breakfast at Starbucks. We had seen advertising the entire drive up and all while walking the strip about Christ in the Smokies. We aren't very religious people, but we were dying to find out why this wax museum was so heavily advertised. It was really silly and interesting, but very much a tourist trap. Still a lot of fond memories from our time there haha. It took itself so seriously and that's why it was so amusing when you stepped back and realized these dramatic narrations were to still wax sculptures. It was a tour that you walked along and listened to a narrator. No disrespect meant of course, the religion isn't silly, the wax museum and garden was what was silly. It was a fun end to the trip.

On the way home, we stopped at the Asheville mall since I didn't get a chance to look around it when I had gone to ARAC. I picked up the Azumanga Daoh omnibus and devoured it after the trip. Also picked up a candle from bath and body works. It's my weakness. During the trip I also got to try a chocolate covered strawberry for the first time at a candy shop there with home made fudge. It was SO GOOD! I have a magnet collection. I get a magnet from everywhere I've gone to on vacation or just traveled through and it's a good way to remember things by. I put them all on the fridge. My parents did this and I'm carrying on the tradition.

This was my first "planned on my own" vacation. Even if it was just overnight, it was an amazing experience and a good segway into many future trips down the road!