Breakaway to Branson

The four of us left Victoria at 6:45 a.m. and arrived at Horizons:  A Marriott Vacation Club in Branson at 6:45 p.m.  The twelve-hour drive included short stops for breakfast, lunch, and gas.

Oh, yes, there were also bathroom stops but none of them so big and fancy as the restroom at Shoji Tabuchi’s place in Branson.  That’s Jan and I during intermission at his show.

One of the biggest highlights in Branson for us was Silver Dollar City at night.  They really go all out in decorating for Christmas, inside and out.  It’s amazing to see the transformation from day to night.

But at night it was remarkable.  During the Light Show the tree changed both colors and patterns, from horizontal to vertical, and also circular, and our engineer husbands couldn’t figure out how they did it.

Other trees on the huge acreage  of Silver Dollar City were also impressive.

Thank you for holding my heavy purse, Allan.  Hi, John.

This huge Christmas tree was featured that night  in a Light Show.  Even in daylight it’s impressive.

Here’s another daytime photo of Silver Dollar City, when we were looking for a place to have lunch.  We found sandwiches and hot chocolate at the Sandwich Board.

See the horns coming out of my ears?  Didn’t you know I was such a dear?

It was very cold in Branson, but not windy on the day we visited Silver Dollar City.

There were many theaters in Silver Dollar City and we saw several performances including (above) one in the style of a saloon with lots of dancing and singing and the comedians were very funny.  We also saw “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens which was probably the best adaptation we’ve ever seen; cameras were not allowed.  And we saw a show called “Pure Heart” with three girls, one of them a yodeler,  and Tracy Easton on the piano, which was outstanding.  As we found the various theaters we also stopped to listen to old tyme concertina music from the street

Then we left Silver Dollar City and went to Red Lobster for supper.  I had lobster pizza and the others ordered scallops.  The next morning we left for Minnesota.  But let’s back up a bit!

That first night  (Monday) after that 12-hour drive, we went to the Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills.  It was okay, but it’s more festive when the grounds are covered with snow.

Branson is a very patriotic place, as well as very Christian.  Every show honored our veterans and also the Reason for the season.

Christmas music played throughout the Trail of Lights.  Wasn’t the same without snow.  Then we went for dinner to Ruby Tuesdays for their excellent Salad Bar.

On Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. we went to see Yakov Smirnoff, the funniest guy I ever saw.  His show was also full of dancing and singing and very patriotic.  The first thing he did is have us all stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance.  A few moments later  he asked the veterans in the audience to stand and be recognized and applauded.  John Flora is a retired lieutenant colonel and we were always pleased to applaud.  Yakov is a Russian immigrant who said, “Wherever I go, I am an American!”  His show was a very fast moving two hours.  His wisdom to us:  “We see what we seek.”

I bought one of Yakov’s CD’s and also his new book and waited in line to have him autograph it.

Yakov is also an artist.  Many of his paintings hung in the entrance of the theater.  His themes are patriotic, religious, and family oriented.  Then we went to Branson Landing, a big “mall” area of shops and it was very cold and windy.  Jan enjoyed shopping at  “Justice” for Sierra and Kiley, their grandchildren.  We ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant there, then stopped in Old Town Branson where I bought stuff for Addie and Gunnar and Sophie, our grandchildren.  At 4 p.m. we were sitting at Dolly Parton’s Dixieland Stampede, which was as before, a holy night of horses, a whole chicken (dinner) for each person, then camels and kings and a “living” nativity.

The next day we visited the  Stone Hill Winery in Branson and this “living” Santa Claus.

We learned everything there is to know about Stone Hill Wine.  We had lunch at Landry’s that day and shopped till we dropped at outlet stores, which Branson has a lot of. 

Then it was off to the 7 p.m. Shoji Tabuchi Show and his fancy bathroom.

There was more than one Christmas tree in the ladies room.  John said there’s a pool table in the men’s room.

The lobby at Shoji’s place puts people in the mood for Christmas.  Hi, Jan.  Hi, John.

Then we went to Ruby Tuesdays again for dinner, even though it was Wednesday.

On Thursday morning (December 11th) we went to the IHOP for breakfast, to more outlet stores, then to Silver Dollar City, which is only open on Thursdays.

We left Branson at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, December 12th.  It was a grand breakaway trip to Branson.

Love, Sue

Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

HomePage:  www.PrintsPublishing.com

Thanks, John, for emailing the bathroom to me.