Forbes House Museum withSusan

 The wonderful Forbes House Museum is a great house, an amazing collection of Asian art, and deserves to be known much better.  

A mixed history of evil (the Opium trade), and good (Irish famine relief), the collection brought back from China became the basis for the great Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem. 

But there is plenty to see in the house, with great ceramics in every corner, or hidden away in closets and shelves,  all a delight to discover.

Mark Slawson introduced this collection to me, and I finally got to introduce it to Susan.  We had the fortune of having a wonderful docent, Dina, who made the whole place come alive.  Dina, you were great. 

One of several spectacular collections of Asian place settings made for the family.

Susan and Dina

Portrait of Robert Bennet Forbes  c.1845

A gilded sewing box.  Incredible virtuosic artwork.

Hidden away in a corner cabinet

Portrait of Dorothy Murray Forbes

The legendary Houqua, one of the great merchants in China, great friend of the Forbes.
He traded on the American stock market and keeping his wealth secret from the Chinese
government, became one
of the wealthiest men in China

The "Jamestown" an American sloop of war, which, commanded by 
R. Bennett Forbes, made trips to Ireland with food during the great Irish famine, 1847.

The helm from the "Jamestown" presented to the Forbes

Part of a spectacular screen

The "Lincoln" Room.  One of the Forbes daughters was obsessed with Abraham Lincoln, and
collected Lincoln memorabilia.

The circular staircase, 4 floors of architectural mastery. 

A veranda or extension chair, brought back from China, 18th. C. 

Ben Forbes relaxing in his "extension" chair.

detail of a chest (below)

Looking up.

Favorite pets immortalized

Down in the kitchen
Each of those bells has a different tone.

The replica of Abraham Lincoln's birthplace.

Susan at Pratt Farm

Clingman's Dome, Whitewater Falls

 A final day of color in the Great Smokies, followed by a trip back to Brevard, stopping for a glimpse of Whitewater Falls, the highest cascade in the East.  What a memorable trip for us all!  And Don and I had the pleasure of the Bryson's company on two occasions, always great fun. 

So hard to decide which pictures to include, and to omit, but here are my favorites. 

Our wonderful chalet in Gatlinburg, pretty perfect for our stay.  Neal and Don

I have never been in an environment of complete color before.  

One of the more breathtaking vistas in the morning.  This is the view of the Chimneys.

The steady climb up the trail to the top of Clingman's Dome
Perhaps two out of three people we say were from India.  I asked a group of Indian men,
"Is there a direct flight from Mumbai to this parking lot?"  and they roared with laughter. 
"No" one said, "We have drones to deliver us here!".

Just below the top, a crossing of the Appalachian Trail. 

The viewing platform on top. 

Worth the very tiring hike. 

 

Mt. Leconte in the distance  (6'593 feet)

I think Don was surprised to see me on top (I did consider turning back several times, seeing how dark it was getting on top, but a young man (Indian) said it wasn't supposed to rain until the afternoon. 
Don said he'd never let me forget it if I hadn't made it. 

More gorgeous vistas on the way back

Two views from the top bedroom of the chalet. 

Heading out of the Smokies, we came upon some Elk!

And the very special moment at Whitewater Falls.  
The view from the top of the trail

110 steps down to a lower viewing platform and a complete view.

Grabbing a quick photo from the car of Toxaway Falls

At the Bryson's.  This is a Metformin pill.  Susan made me a pill box full to keep in my pocket to have with me always, and I am required to take one before dinner.  I forgot, the entire trip.  So here is proof that on my last meal of the trip, I remembered!

Thank you, Don, for being such a great host, for securing me a bass trombone to practice with (my big band concert was a huge success), thank you for all the driving.  Thank you, Sally and Neal, for all the wonderful lunch supplies, for driving us through Cades Cove, and for being the great companions you are.  And thank you, Tim and Sylvia, for your great dinners and conversations, and the Rosso de Montalcino!     

my favorites.