Branson

Monday, July 30, 2012--Springfield to Branson

It's a short drive from Springfield to Branson.  The route is lined with businesses, so it really just all flows together as one large community.  There is a big change in terrain, however.  Springfield is on flat land, and one enters the Ozarks before arriving in Branson.  Once one exits and drives down "The Strip" in Branson, it's a whole other world--one of gaudy buildings and massive traffic jams.  Except for the scenery, I could have imagined myself back in Yellowstone creeping along behind a long row of cars.  The only thing that made me feel better was that there was MORE traffic going the opposite direction.

I missed my turn for my hotel.  After going a mile or so too far, I turned around.  Coming back, I missed it again.  (Unfortunately, the only directions they had given were to watch for the Andy Williams Theater and turn at the Dairy Queen after it.  Well, I saw the theater both times, but missed the Dairy Queen!)  On my way back for the third time, I just started watching for a street to the left after passing the Andy Williams Theater, and right there was a Dairy Queen.  The street, however, is packed with gaudy buildings, so a Dairy Queen sign doesn't stand out well among all the rest.  It was much easier seeing the Titantic Theater, the Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater, etc.

Fortunately, a room was available even though I arrived rather early (around noon) for check-in.  The lady at the front desk came originally from Ft. Worth, and she gave me lots of good information--a place to buy show tickets without paying a premium, a schedule for shows this week, advice to avoid any place referring to itself as a tourist information office, how to use back streets to avoid the traffic jams on the main street, etc.  She also said that things are more hectic this week than usual.  She said it seemed that everyone realized all at once that summer ends and school begins again in a week or two.

I studied her information and decided on two shows--one this afternoon at 15:00 and one tomorrow morning at 10:00.  I called, and they delivered my tickets to the hotel by 14:00.  In the meantime, I researched where I will go next and made reservations for hotels for the next 3 nights--one in Harrison, one in Eureka Springs, and one in Fayetteville.

The New Shanghai Theater for my afternoon show was just down the street from my hotel.  I saw The New Shanghai Acrobats of China.  It was a two-hour show that was better than I expected.  It wasn't as snappy and quick as the shows in China or the major ones that tour the US and charge $80-100 per ticket.  Instead, it had plenty of drawn-out pauses for applause.  But for $30, it was worth it.  I sat on the fourth row in the center of the theater between two families.  One was from Iowa, but I didn't visit with the other.  Almost everyone was either elderly or in a family group.  The theater is large, and only about 1/4 to 1/3 of it was full which seems understandable for a Monday matinee.  The group performs the show twice a day EVERY day!  (They are truly from China, so they apparently do not have to meet any kind of limits on working hours.  They perform here about 10 months a year and go back to China for two months during the winter.)

After the show was over, I drove down to the dam on the river that goes through town.  It's massive.  And above it is The Chateau on the Lake, one of the fancy resorts here.

The town is FULL of hotels, including very large ones. (A Radisson across the street from my hotel is maybe 8 stories high and is very long.)  The town also has so much for tourists to do in addition to all the theater shows.  I can't imagine anything people might want that they do NOT have here.  It seems that everyone with any kind of idea of how to make money has come here to try to do so!!

During the early evening, I went to downtown Branson.  I walked the streets seeing the shops there.  Then I went to the end of the street to Branson Landing, a new development along the river with all the chain stores, dancing water fountains, and a promenade along the river.  It was a pleasant place to walk and watch people, although the air still felt quite warm at 18:30.

I was glad to get back to my hotel without too much of a traffic hassle.  Will stay inside for the rest of the night.  Have another show to see tomorrow morning before heading out for Harrison just a few miles further down the road.

Steps Walked:  6558

Miles Driven:  69