Holiday in Branson, Missouri - 1

It's going to be 100 degrees all week and I'm in Branson, Missouri. My plan was to use my timeshare and spend some quiet time and do some trout fishing. Now, with the temperature soaring to 100 I'm thinking that the fishing will have to wait for a few hours in the mornings or evenings. The rest of the time...the hottest part of the day, I can "experience" Branson. And you, dear reader, get the benefit by not having to leave the comfort of your home while still experiencing Branson...how I sacrifice for you!

I left home late in the afternoon because I wanted to see the USA women's soccer team win the World Cup final and the game didn't get started until almost 2 PM. They played Japan and it went for the full 90 minutes and into 30 minute overtime and finally to a penalty kick shoot-out...which we lost. Sad outcome but it was a good game. Anyway...it was close to 5 PM before I got on the road.

Traffic was pretty light and the bypass around Lake Ozark is nice. I go through Buffalo and that is always a nice drive -- two-lane blacktop and pretty. Highway 65 is also a good road. I was a little bit surprised that it didn't take very long to get here. I was already in my condo by 8 PM.

It has been a long time since I've spent any time in Branson and it looks to be a madhouse. I had to go out and pick up a few groceries and it took 45 minutes to finally find a grocery store and get my stuff. I was almost run over by a church bus.

The condo office gave me three free tickets to some shows if I endure a "brief" presentation about vacations. I've been through that before but I figured "what the hell...maybe it will be a diversion" and I got to pick the shows. Since I'm not too thrilled with the shows anyway I didn't want to have to pay a bunch to get in and it should be cooler than 100 degrees. I selected an Elvis impersonator, Sons of the Pioneers, and a musical revue of a bunch of guys playing oldies. They do have two different Patsy Cline shows here that I might actually like to see...she's dead but so is Elvis. I guess it's dueling Patsy Clines. 

Apparently the Titanic is here too. I must have missed that somehow.   I might do the IMAX movie thing but sometimes I get sick and throw up in those.    Stay tuned.

The condo is OK for one person. It is a converted motel...which is what I expected...and is walking distance to some shops on the 'downtown' part of Branson and the big mall (Bass Pro Shop). I wanted to be close to the "old" Branson because I had never spent much time there and I liked the idea of walking around. I still hope to get some fishing in but I'll know more on that later.