Summer Getaway Part 3

I am loving this “no agenda spontaneous go with the flow” vacation. I was scheduled to go home today but changed my mind. I initially looked at Branson – well after St. Louis was ruled out. Branson because The Platters were performing at the Starlite Theater. The show times was off so I chose Springfield for the caverns. I started thinking about staying one more day to see The Platters and suddenly I thought –why not? I couldn’t get a rate low enough at my current hotel so I checked with Travelocity and found a hotel with a rate I wanted with good customer reviews. Indoor pool, breakfast and internet…better than I had.

So with hotel and tickets for the 3 pm show I was off to Branson. Found the hotel with one turnaround and one stop for clarification on my directions, picked up my ticket for the show and found the Starlite Theater with no mishaps. I had front row tickets but couldn’t see my seat when I walked in so I settled for a few rows back and claimed my rightful seat at intermission.

The show was great – I loved every minute of it and was definitely glad I extended my stay to go. They sang all their hits plus a Ray Charles tribute and Motown revue. Will, who is blind did a great Ray. I felt like a groupie afterwards – bought the DVD of the show got a free t-shirt and purchased a picture of me with the group (the photographer was nice of enough to use my camera but snap one of me with hers as well – of course hers was better and I had to buy it). They autographed all three. Eddie, one of the original members of the group, was a hoot (did I use that word?). Yolanda had a powerful voice. She told me the story of how she let a stylist talk her into color and ruined her natural hair. She kept telling me how much she loved my hair. Will as I said was blind but if someone didn’t point it out I would not have known. He moved on that stage. They had some padded markers on the stage for him to keep his place. Andre – I could fall in love with him. He had a voice on him and a smooth bald head - whew!!! Like one of the ladies I met told him – Smokie ain’t got nothing on him with that voice. I would love to bring others back with me to see the show again. There was a lady there who has been to see this show 140 times. Can’t say I will go that many times but I could come again.

I asked for a restaurant recommendation and was told to try Hard Luck Café. They have singing servers. Glad I thought to ask and that I didn’t give up on finding it. The food was as good as the entertainment.

Sadly I am headed home tomorrow, but this is just the first of many trips. No longer will I wait for others to join me. It would be nice, but I will not let it keep me from going. Oh where, oh where, should I go next?