Branson Part 1

November 15 we left Salt Lake for a trip to Branson Missouri.  This is when they have all their Christmas shows.  We had been to Branson many years ago and saw a few shows then.  We've wanted to go back and see the Christmas shows.  There are over 70 shows being performed each day.  It is a fun place.  We went on a Brian Judd tour and it was great.  Five couples from our condo complex went on the tour.

Waiting at the airport

Gene and Priscilla Cook

Jean and Lynn Kenley

Lynette and Jack Young

Bob and Carmela Vernieuw

We flew through Denver and then on the Kansas City where our bus picked us up.  Roger Arnold was our tour guide on the whole tour.  He was wonderful!  He is a great singer and sang lots of songs to us.  This trip was his 41st trip to Branson.  

Roger has been to lots of places and this is part of a song he sang about the places he has been to. 

We made a stop in Osceola at a cheese market.  I've never seen so many different kinds of cheeses.  We got to taste lots of them.  

While driving, we saw several Amish buggies being driven down the road.  

We went on to Sikeston Missouri were we stopped at Lamberts Cafe, the home of the "throwed rolls." 

We had a great dinner and every 15 minutes they come out with hot rolls.  When you hold your hand up, they will throw them to you.  

Look at those yummy rolls!  They also walked around and gave you items to try with your dinner, like black eyed peas, fried potatoes, okra etc.  It was a fun eating place.  

We loaded the bus again and were off to Branson and our hotel, The Radisson.

It was a long day and it was nice to get to our hotel.  The hotel was a great hotel too.  We had a hot breakfast buffet each morning there at the hotel.  

After breakfast on Tuesday, we were off to the Shoji Tabuchi Christmas show.  

 At each place we went, we had greeters that came out to our bus.  They greeted us and then directed us to our seats in the theater.  We had to all be in our seats and then we could get up a look around the lobby etc.  The Shoji Tabuchi Theater is known for it's beautiful restrooms.  They are million dollar rooms and have received many awards. 

 

 Lots of decorations in the lobby. 

Here are some pictures of the restrooms.  In the women's there are orchids on each sink.  There is a pool table in the men's.  They were beautiful!!

After looking around, we were ready for the show to begin.

After the show, we boarded our bus (amazing how many buses there were).

We had a quick lunch at a Walmart fast food court and then were off to another show, "The Knudsen Brothers SIX"  There were awesome!  Six brothers of 10, members of the church, and all have been on missions.

You can go to youtube and see them as they perform.  They sing acappella and do all their sound effects.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE3ia5ug5qE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q57OLVRHJsw&feature=related

After the show we bought some of their CD's and got their autographs.

On the bus with one of the brothers.  He was really funny, and if you watch the youtube video you will see that. 
This is only part of Tuesday.  We went to another show in the evening.