11:00 a.m. – The walking tour is great! I found out about it on the Visit Music City website, they run them every day for free and am really glad I did it. It focuses on the centre of Nashville and we get to see and hear about the history of Broadway and other areas of the city, such as 5th Avenue which is famous as an artists’ district and has some really cool galleries, as well as buildings like the Ryman Auditorium and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, where legendary country artists like Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson performed. Apparently there’s a secret door out the back of Tootsie’s that the artists used to use so they had a fast-track route between the bar and the Ryman! We also stop at Legends’ Corner, a really cool mural, which features country music stars like Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and Keith Urban. Most of the other people in my group are older couples from elsewhere in the US – I’m the only solo visitor – but everyone is really friendly and chatty. Our guide, who’s been living in Nashville for several years, also fills us in on the redevelopment that’s been going on in the city; apparently it’s the fastest-growing city in America, to the extent they’ve had to put a ban on new buildings going up in the downtown area. He also treats each of us to a Goo Goo Cluster – marshmallows, peanuts, and caramel coated in chocolate. They’re amazing and I make a note to come back and buy a box to take home.