It’s hard to miss a 30,000-square-foot ship-shaped structure replicating half of the original Titanic vessel along Pigeon Forge’s main parkway. The eye-catching size of the museum grabbed my attention immediately and easily held it throughout my tour.

Right after entering, I was handed a Titanic boarding pass with the biography of one of the actual passengers on the ship. My guide told me that I would learn the fate of my assigned passenger at the end of the museum, which gave the tour a personnel touch.

Just opened this year, the museum brought the experience of the ship to life with scaled replicas of the third class rooms, first class rooms and the Grand Staircase Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio walked down in the movie Titanic. Photos, interactive exhibits and over 400 artifacts told engaging stories from the fateful night.

To recreate the frigid experience felt by those not so lucky as to board a lifeboat, one exhibit kept the air temperature at 32 degrees. The exhibit also kept some water at 28 degrees to simulate the feel of the ocean that night. After only a minute my hand began to hurt acutely. The horror of the thousands that perished that way became all too real.

At the end of the tour, I was happy at least that my assigned passenger had survived against all odds. It was a reminder that stories both heartbreaking and inspiring came from the tragedy of the Titanic’s sinking.

Pigeon Forge Titanic Museum

I had breakfast at the Old Mill Restaurant

Future pepper shakers at the Old Mill Pottery

As I watched the door of the small office room in anticipation, I could feel my level of nervousness rising.

So far on the trip, all attractions seemed to be leading up to this upcoming interview with the legendary Dolly Parton. I’d not only been to Dollywood’s Dolly Parton Museum, but also encountered mentions of her everywhere from numerous random people telling me they thought she was the greatest person alive to a media event where she gave out her 25 millionth book to a child as part of her Imagination Library program.

But now the hour had come and five travel writers and I waited in a small conference room with one seat empty and ready for Dolly’s arrival. I had my questions written out just in case I blanked, which still did not calm my worries of stumbling over my words. After hearing from someone at the table that Michael Phelps used to make himself yawn to relax before a race, I attempted to do the same in desperation.

Finally, Dolly arrived with an easy smile and familiar voice. She answered each of our questions without missing a beat with humor, sincerity, wisdom and references to the importance of her spirituality.

After she announced that she had to “go pee,” Dolly humbly thanked everybody and left the room. Her departure left everyone in the room clearly star struck, including me, for quite awhile after. Even now, I still feel the need to watch some Steel Magnolias or Nine to Five in honor of such an unforgettable 30 minutes.

Dolly Parton at a media event before my interview

Dolly Parton singing at the Pigeon Forge Imagination Library media event

I also toured Wonderworks with its many intriguing mind puzzlers

Naturally, I started my Dollywood vacation experience in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. with a tour of the famous Dollywood theme park. Celebrating its 25th anniversary his year, Dollywood continues to go above and beyond your typical roller coaster fest with a wide variety of attractions for all ages.

A stroll through an amusement park could have been absolute torture with a hot June sun beating down, but since the park’s design integrates the surrounding mountains and trees into the attractions, the walk is a shaded one. In fact, the park’s replicated turn-of-the-century buildings give the impression you are walking through an old mountain town.

The town comes complete with a blacksmith, glass blower, grist mill and wagon maker. All the demonstrators at the park happily engaged visitors in conversation, including the wagon maker who explained his process before jokingly sending us to the blacksmith to make a noise complaint against him.

I also watched one of the many stellar shows playing at Dollywood called Sha-Kon-A-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke. Just started in May 2009, the show features songs written by Dolly Parton while telling the history of the Smoky Mountains. After watching the show’s simulated blue smoke fill up the stage at the show, I saw the real mist move along the mountaintops from my Dollywoods Vacations cabin. My view of the sunset mountain scenery reminded me that the natural spectacle always beats the manmade special effects.

My Dollywood Vacations cabin's sunset view

The Dollywood show Sha-Kon-A-Hey!

Wagon making demonstration in Dollywood

Though I knew the epic importance of the Alamo from the John Wayne movie, I was interested in finding out where Hollywood ended and where the truth began at the Alamo National Historic Landmark. To prepare, I first watched The Alamo: the Price of Freedom at the Rivercenter Imax Theater and visited the History Shop, where a detailed diorama of the Alamo mission illustrates the sprawling size of the mission when the 200 Texans tried to defend it against the 3,000 Mexican forces.

The only remaining building from the original Alamo mission is the chapel, which served as a sanctuary for the women and children during the 1836 battle. Exhibits and artifacts, such as a lock of Davy Crockett’s hair, William Travis’ ring and James Bowie’s knife, fill the chapel and surrounding buildings to present a more personal perspective on the battle.

When the evening caused the River Walk to once again glow with Christmas lights, I enjoyed a dinner cruise on the river. I floated near where some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle of the Alamo took place and wondered that a place once so full of violence could now look so peaceful.

The Alamo

Inside the Alamo's museum

Dinner cruise on the River Walk

At the Saeur-Beckmann Farmstead, I discovered what exactly Little Miss Muffet was eating when she was snacking on curds and whey in the traditional nursery rhyme. The living history farm portrays the working lifestyle of a 1918 Texas farm at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site in Johnson City. Just down the road from Lyndon B. Johnson’s childhood home, the farm uses costumed interpreters, period farm equipment and live animals, such as the rather intimidating horned Texas longhorn cattle.

I discovered the curds and whey by following my nose to the wonderful smells coming from the farm’s kitchen. The cook working on turning the curds and whey into cottage cheese explained how she used a wood-burning stove to create dishes far and away better than anything store bought.

Nearby, the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park left me feeling as though I knew the Johnson’s personally. On a driving tour, I passed by the president’s birthplace, cemetery and the Texas White House, where he lived from 1951 until his death in 1973. Details, like the presence of a phone on the president’s chair in the dining room, gave insight into the daily life of Johnson. I learned even more about the president's life and the time period he lived in at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum before an evening looking at more San Antonio Christmas lights.

 Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum

Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum 

San Antonio Christmas lights

Looking up, it seemed to be raining Christmas lights. The colored Christmas lights hanging down from the high branches of the cypress trees lining San Antonio’s River Walk twinkled downward like water trickling down a waterfall. 

The 122,000 dazzling lights reflecting onto the San Antonio River created quite the Christmas wonderland. I happily strolled past shops, restaurants and live music along the stone path before deciding on a barbeque dining establishment.

Earlier that day, I started off my guided trip with Mayflower Tours by learning the Spanish colonial history of the Texas town. Originally constructed in 1731, the San Fernando Cathedral has remained a spiritual center of the town since a group of 15 families arrived in San Antonio from the Canary Islands on the invitation of King Philip V of Spain. Not far off, the 1720 Mission San Jose became the largest Texas mission with amazing stone ornamentation still intact. Both churches, along with the colorful and festive Mexican market, show the mix of indigenous and Spanish influence created when the Spanish originally conquered the area.

 San Antonio River Walk

San Fernando Cathedral 

San Jose Mission

Every Easter growing up I would hear the song “Jerusalem, My Destiny,” which connected the city with Christian tradition. The tune took on a new meaning when I saw my first view of the Jerusalem skyline and its cream-colored buildings of Jerusalem stone and the arresting golden Dome of the Rock. On my walking tour of the ancient city, I met reminders of religion around every corner with black-clad Orthodox Jews with side curls, muezzins’ five-time daily singing call to Islamic prayer and tolling church bells.

At the 1924 Church of All Nations, hundreds of years old gnarled olive trees encircle the basilica, which sits atop Gethsemane – where Jesus prayed the night before his death. Huge mosaics portray images from scriptures surrounding Gethsemane on the ceilings of the church. Afterwards, I entered the tall stone gates to the Old City to wander through more Christian history along the Via Dolorosa trail past the stations of the cross. The trail ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which many believe sits atop Golgotha, or the Hill of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified. The darkly lit Greek Orthodox church leads pilgrims through different chambers venerating the place of the crucifixion and the first-century tomb believed to be Christ’s.

Later, I explored the most beloved Jewish holy site at the Western Wall, which Herod the Great originally constructed in 19 B.C.E. It stands close to the location of the Second Jewish Temple destroyed in 70 C.E. According to Orthodox Jewish customs, the site is divided by a barrier separating men and women so they can both walk up to pray and place written requests in the cracks of the wall. With the Dome of the Rock visible on the other side of the wall and other Christian churches not far off, the area remains at the epicenter for three of the world's major religions. 

Jerusalem skyline from the Dominus Flevit Church

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Western Wall

I stepped inside the location of the real Nativity scene at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The Byzantine church that has survived so many centuries of war and strife still stands with an ancient feel, since the Greek Orthodox Church upkeeps it without extensive renovations. Without the restorations, everything you see is original from either the Byzantine period or the Crusader period. Though the wall frescos were faded, I knew I saw the same paint from the Crusader’s time and nothing else. Hanging lamps from the Orthodox influence of the church hung everywhere, supplemented by light beams shining across the church like light from the star of Bethlehem.

Underneath the altar, I walked into the Grotto, which is the cave believed to be where Jesus was born. “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” sung by a church group in Latin from inside the Grotto set the Christmas mood for the tiny cavern once used as a barn and now decorated in remembrance of Jesus’ birth. For a little while I just stood looking at the star marking the traditional spot of the Nativity while listening to calming religious songs.

Although it is completely heartbreaking to see the wall built around Bethlehem because it is in Palestinian territory, my trip made me realize hope still remained for the city’s future. The friendly and sweet people I met in the churches, market and traditional Arab restaurant made the town one of the highlights of the trip. My Palestinian guide, Maher Desouki, said the fact that the Christians and Muslims have been living together happily for so many years by going to shared schools and businesses proves the power of peace. The town mentioned in so many Christmas carols should definitley be included on any pilgrimage to Israel.

Church of the Nativity 

 Grotto of the Nativity

Traditional Palestinian meal

Two things I would have never thought to put together are Dean Martin and the Sea of Galilee. However, I found myself experiencing both at the same time during a ride around the legendary lake (it’s a lake even though it’s referred to as a sea) on a replica of first century vessel. The wooden boat looked the part with its curved shape and simple design, so the captain chose some music to fit the scene like Hebrew songs and religious tunes, along with some classic Dean Martin to encourage dancing. As we glided along, the boat excursion had moments of fun with impromptu karaoke and moments of reflection when we passed certain mountains attached to Biblical stories, such as the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave one of his most famous sermons.

The Sea of Galilee has been the running theme of the day from the moment I woke up in Tiberias with the body of water in view until the boat ride this evening. Since Jesus spent most of his time preaching around the lake where he first recruited his twelve followers, the area is a pilgrim’s paradise with churches, gardens and archeological ruins from the time of Christ at most stops. I visited some of the main religious sites at the peaceful Mount of Beatitudes, Tagbha's mosaic-filled church dedicated to the multiplication of the fishes and loaves miracle, and Capernaum where Jesus began his ministry. At the Church of the Primacy of Peter, I joined other excited visitors intent on wading in the water so filled with history.

Wading in the Sea of Galilee

Mount of Beatitudes

Pilgrims' Boat ride

Last night at dinner, our guide joked that a phone call to God from Israel is cheap because it is a local call. I think he might be right. The land where Jesus was born, lived, preached and died all fits into a spot on the map the same size as New Jersey. This center for Islam, Judaism and Christianity doesn’t take long to drive across, but it could take years to properly explore because around every corner lies another ancient site dating back to the Old Testament and beyond.

My first day in the one and only Holy Land began with a trip to a palace built by King Herod in Caesarea. Now made into a national park, the area holds archeological ruins from the time of Christ including a remarkably intact Roman Theater. As my guide helped me imagine the wealth and splendor of the once mighty port city on the Mediterranean, I felt transported to the movie Ben-Hur, since part of the extensive ruins featured a huge stadium that charioteers once raced around holding on to their chariots for dear life. To help me visualize the past grandeur of the site, the park had a museum with interactive exhibits and a video that virtually transformed the palace remains into a thriving metropolis.

The rest of the day I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t dreaming as I toured site after site pertaining to the life of Jesus Christ. Each site straight out of the Bible had its own church devoted to its Christian connections, including Nazareth’s Basilica of the Annunciation, Cana’s Wedding Church and Mount Tabor’s Church of the Transfiguration. Worn out from a plentiful dinner of lamp chops, goose liver and fruit crepes, I fully expect to fall straight asleep before embarking for more holy adventures tomorrow.

The Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth

Caesarea National Park

View from Mt. Tabor