The Party's Over!

As we left our unit for the first show of the day, it was apparent why we didn't golf this week.  Frost on the course!

Even later in the day, at plus 5C, the dormant Bermuda grass wasn't too appetizing.

Our show this morning was "Yakov - Make America Happy Again" and he did a great job.  Not only really funny, but a very bright and talented man.

He went fairly easy on President Trump - do you suppose that's because the audiences are old, white and mostly from middle America?

Yakov is an accomplished artist as well.  Note the little man on the scaffold signing the artist's name!

A great show that not only made you laugh, but also much food for thought regarding the need for humour.

We headed back to Branson Landing for lunch at Garfield's, which is next to Bass Pro Shops.

Why are those huge lights aimed down at the water?  Isn't that illegal?

For our final show we picked the Haygoods, supposedly the most popular show in Branson.  Certainly it was the only one that played to a full house in this offseason week.

But, most of the show was hard to follow due to flashing, moving coloured lights, and pyrotechnics and loud noise.

We seldom managed to see the performers due to the moving, flashing lights and the "fog".

It was unfortunate - very talented performers wasted by the lighting effects.  We were very disappointed.  Time to go home I guess.

We leave Branson in the morning.  If anything exciting happens along the way we will report.

Branson Scenic Railway

Our unit here at Holiday Hills is a two bedroom lockout, essentially two one bedroom units with lockout/walk through, doors.  We are staying in the larger unit, which features a full kitchen, laundry, Jacuzzi tub and separate shower, king size bed and lots of room.

The other unit, which we are not using, has a queen bed, mini kitchen and normal bathtub.  But, similar to the unit we stayed in for our Santee week, we have a "thunder heels" staying a floor above.  These units are certainly not soundproofed.

Today's excursion took us to the Branson Scenic Railway for a trip south into Arkansas.

We managed to get seats in an observation car, so we had a clear view around and overhead.

The overhead view treated us to a scene we've never seen before, at least in such quantity.  The picture doesn't do it justice - the faint lines you see are thousands of Canada Geese migrating south.  

The vees undulated and flowed in waves that seemed to be a dance, and went on for quite a while.  In the picture below, a turkey vulture (buzzard in local lingo) shows up as well.

It was a really incredible scene.

The scenery was nice as we climbed into the mountains to the south.

We went through two tunnels on our trip.  The first a mile long, the second a half mile long.  Lights please.

After two hours we were back in Branson.  An entertaining trip.

Back to the ranch for a short rest, then dinner at Red Lobster, before heading to the Shoji Tabuchi Christmas Show.  We were surprised that the tickets were for the Clay Cooper Theatre, but it turns out that, although Shoji's theatre looks OK, the interior is still damaged from a fire a year or so ago.

The show was great.  He's a fine violinist/entertainer.

And, he had some help.

Another good day in Branson.

Tomorrow we see Yakov - Make America Laugh Again, and the Haygoods.  Our last full day before heading home.

Moving Day

High of 5C today and misty rain.  So, after checking out of the Quality Inn we spent the afternoon Christmas shopping.

Editor's advisory: by signing in to this blog you acknowledge that you are not on Bud's or Mardi's Christmas list.   You should not expect any gifts whether you have been bad or good.  Sorry!

After shopping we had dinner at the Fish House, a Bass Pro Shop facility on Lake Taneycomo within the Branson Landing complex.

We then headed to our new home at Holiday Hills.  There is a golf course on-site, but we will not be playing in this weather.  

They have not overseeded so the fairways are all brown.

Spectacular, no question, but brown nonetheless.

Tomorrow the adventure resumes.

Doo Wop

We are in hilly country (the Ozarks) and almost every property is on a hill, including our motel.

The motel has three floors on the downhill side and two floors on the uphill side which our unit faces.  There is an elevator on the downhill side.  So, I have a question:  if you are in unit 229, which floor button do you push in the elevator?  Why, 3 of course!  We got off on the second floor and, though there were 200 series rooms, we couldn't find our unit.  On the downhill side of the building the top floor is the 3rd.  Walk across to the other side and it's the 2nd.  Makes about as much sense as the sign we saw as we entered Bass Pro Shops.

What a crazy country!

We spent the morning at Branson Landing, a new development along the river front modeled after Downtown Disney.  

Mardi did a bit of shopping.

We bought some draw tickets.

If we win I get the truck.  Mardi gets the motorcycle.

Then, we headed for the Branson Hot Hits Theatre to see The Drifters.

The lobby.

And the performers.

These guys were in their prime in the 1980's, but they still put on a great show!  They were voted Best Male Vocalists in Branson for 2018.  

Tomorrow is moving day.  We leave one free accommodation for another.  Last year we changed our timeshare package: in some ways for the better, in others for the worse.  But it did come with a couple of perks.  We get one free three day booking at a Holiday Inn Club Vacation site each year and this year we chose Branson.  We'll report more tomorrow.

Showboat Branson Belle

Before we start, a picture that I intended to include yesterday.

Niece Robin collects chickens.  So Mardi took this picture which includes a chicken and a turkey.  You will note there is a sale on.  Half price on the big chicken is $225.  Half price on the turkey?  Still priceless!

I asked the store owner if the metal sculptures were locally made.  He said "No, we truckload them from Mexico.  Nobody here would work for that kind of money."  Since the Mexicans who made these things probably make $1 an hour, even minimum American wage would make the sale price on that big guy about $1,500.  Surprised that President Trump hasn't slapped a tariff on these things.

So far, I have only found two negative things about this town.  First, there are far too many old people here.

And. as you can see by the small sign, we are in the wild west.

Here's a look at the dam holding back Table Rock Lake.

We were on our way to the Showboat Branson Belle, which floats on the aforesaid lake.

And a look at the dam from the boat on the other side.

Row G, Table 1.

The show started with a magician who was helping two brothers do some mind reading.

The singers and dancers were excellent.  Are we in Kansas?

Or, with the Blues Brothers?

The latter part of the show had a Christmas theme.

Altogether, quite a good show.

On the agenda for tomorrow, Doo Wop and The Drifters.

Spiders and Snakes

We sat through our timeshare presentation this morning - they couldn't believe that we weren't going to buy!  We have just 24 hours to change our minds!

Lunch at the Olive Garden (and a box of leftovers that will feed us tomorrow) on the way back from the timeshare presentation, and then we bought tickets for the Jim Stafford show.  Don't know how many of you are old enough to remember him from the Johnny Carson Show, but he's been a favourite of mine for a long time.  "Spiders and Snakes" and "My girl Bill" were in the top ten way back when.

Lots of laughs and giggles.

And a fan shot during intermission.

The last time I saw him (sorry Roger, that's when #1 son took Mom to Branson) he had his daughter in the show.  This time it was son Shea on the piano.

Tomorrow we have tickets for a dinner and show cruise on the Branson Belle (mostly paid for with our $100 Visa card from the timeshare presentation - we also got four free nights in the Quality Inn).  Life is a box of chocolates (to quote that famous philosopher Forrest Gump).