Kentucky

     The second day of our big trip this past summer was spent in Louisville, Kentucky. Shortly after we booked all our hotels we learned that Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, our planned stop there, would not be open. There was some kind of dipute between Six Flags and Kentucky about the land lease so Six Flags did not renew the lease and closed the park. We had also planned to visit the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum, at least that was still on. We found out early enough about the park closing so we were able to find some other things to do instead. Although the drive-in movie theatre I had found and thought we'd visit wound up being closed too. We also stayed only a day instead of the day and a half we had originally planned.

     First up was the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum. We figured we'd do the tour and be done in about and hour or so. Boy were we wrong. This place was amazing. There was so much to do and see there. Wonderful stop for baseball fans like us. Rob had to go out and feed the meter again because we were there for so long. Over three hours. The tour was interesting and everyone got their free mini bats. We all got to hold a Mickey Mantle game used bat at the museum, which was full of so many great things. We took a tour upstairs through the offices and saw old contracts from past players. There were batting cages Rob and the kids played in. A small one for Jake too.And a huge glove playground. We saw a short baseball history movie. And we had a live internet chat with Cooperstown (Baseball's Hall of Fame). It actually worked out well Kentucky Kingdom was closed or we would have felt rushed and missed some of the great stuff we wound up doing and seeing at the Slugger Museum.

     Next we took the kids roller skating. They had loved it the one time we took them up in Lake George years ago and were looking forward to it again. Jacob was just a baby so it'd be fun to see how he did too. We don't have any skating places too close to home so we really don't get to go. I believe the nearest to us is about an hour away. It was quite cheap, I think something like $4 per person for the session. We all had fun skating around and around. It wasn't very crowded so that was nice. Jake had a tough time out on the floor and stuck mostly to the carpeted area for his skating. Rob and I relived our childhoods somewhat when roller skating was a big thing. Emily got tired easily as she was not used to having those heavy skates on her feet. Who was?
     We went back to our hotel to change for some relaxing in the pool. Rob went up to the room with the kids while I cleaned up some of the car. Soon he was yelling down to me from the balcony railing saying how the cards weren't working for the door. I was immediately pissed not to mention really hot and dying to get into the pool. Told him to throw the cards down to me and I'd get it fixed. He did and I was on my way to the office with all my pissed off NY attitude. There was a man and woman working behind the desk and she immediately asked if she could help me. I slapped the cards onto the desk and said, "Yeah! My family and I just got back! We want to get into the pool! It's hot and our cards are not working so we can't get changed!" The man in his lovely southern drawl, speaking much more slowly than I had just done said, "Well I did that just so you'd come in here to say hi to me." It was the last thing I ever expected him to say and was so taken back by it didn't know what to say next. And I couldn't help but smile. I think I may have said, "Well Hi." He then engaged me in some conversation about where we were from and what we had done that day and the day before while the woman fixed up the cards. He told me he was wondering who had come from Cleveland when he saw the postcard I had dropped off for mailing before we took off that day. He was so nice, sweet and laid back I calmed down immediately. Guess he was an old pro with customer service. In no time the cards were fixed, we were in the pool and I had had my first fun filled encounter with a local on our trip. Wish I had gone back to take a picture with him.

     Later we went out to dinner at Lynn's Paradise Cafe. It was this off the wall place I had seen on some TV show that when I saw the ad for it in the lobby I knew we had to go try it out. The food was wonderful and the atmosphere plain crazy. There were trees with lamps and all kinds of other things hanging off them in the middle of the dining room. Not to mention all the other crazy stuff hanging off the walls and outside around the building. We loved it. After dinner we went down to waterfront park. A huge area with lots of open space, playgrounds and water features the kids got a kick out of on the Ohio River. We walked around and let the kids run and play awhile before heading back to the hotel and ending our day in Kentucky.

     We did have to take a ride to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom for our own Griswold Moment of the park being closed when we got there. At least we expected it but it had to be done. And pictures needed to be taken. All in all we had quite a good time in Kentucky. The next day we'd be off to St. Louis, Missouri!