9-1 and 2, 2013 Last 2 days in Chattanooga

Sunday the 1st:  It rained on and off most of the day. We had about a 3 to 4 hour window so we walked up to the Hunter Museum of American Art.  It was the first Sunday of the month so it was free.  There were two buildings.  The first gallery had the special exhibition gallery and the artist featured this month was Whitfield Lovell.  He did Conte crayon (similar to charcoal) portraits of unknown people whose facial expressions intrigued him and his second gallery called “Deep River” had imagery symbolizing the people who fled to freedom in Camp Contraband, which was a Union camp in Chattanooga during the Civil War on the north shore of the Tennessee River and a safe haven for people, mostly African American slaves, who made it across to freedom.  The second building was the original building of the museum, the Mansion.  This beautiful mansion had art from early American, landscapes, Civil War, decorative arts, early abstraction, the depression, and contemporary art.  Some of the art we enjoyed but most of it was not something we would have paid money for.

We still had some sun shine when we finished the museum so we went for a ride on the “Chattanooga Ducks”.  These amphibious trucks were first used in WW2 (then it was called DUCKW).  We drove down a long boat ramp rather fast and into the water and toured the river (the fast ride down the ramp was the best part for me).
This evening they had fireworks again, that’s 3 nights in a row.  Tonight we could see them from the boat.

9-1-2013: Horse from outside the museum, couldn’t take pictures inside).

9-1-2013:  From our ride on the Chattanooga Duck-Kim Jo IV in upper right hand corner.

9-1-2013:  Keith and the Duck

9-1-2013:  Water running down steps to the river; kids of all ages play in the water.

9-1-2013:  3 boys set up a strap and were walking across the fountain, only one made it while we were watching.


Monday the 2nd:  This is our last day in Chattanooga.  We went to breakfast at the Blue Plate restaurant and sat out side because it was a beautiful and cool morning and we had a great view of the river.  After breakfast we stopped at the Aquarium gift shop for a few things.  The clerk said that this weekend they had record attendance at both the  Ocean and the Fresh Water Aquariums.  They had over 5,000 people on both days and at both displays.  We can believe that because on Saturday when we went through it was very crowded and you had to watch your step because there were kids everywhere.

CO's comments:  I have had enough of people to last me for 6 months.  Every place we went there were young couples with at least 3 little kids and with one on the way.  Just because I am standing by the duck, doesn't mean it was my idea to go for the ride.  The XO got to do every thing she wanted to and then some.  I'm pooped!.

9-2-2013:  The whole downtown fountain area is dedicated to the “Cheyenne Nation” because this was Cheyenne land before it became Chattanooga.  Seven is a sacred number for the Cheyenne and the 7 water fountains symbolize that.

9-2-2013: Breakfast at the Blue Plate.