Last Full Day in Asheville

Day 12

Much colder today; it never got above 48°, the winds resembled the Mistral; strong enough to blow the ears off a donkey, but at least it was sunny!

Crazy weather…but there’s no climate change

After leaving the campground at 9:15 we started our day in Asheville at Karen Donateli’s Bakery & Café with cappuccinos and almond croissants.  The best I’ve ever had outside of France!  

Joni & Karen

From there we walked through the Grove Arcade, an incredible early 20^thcentury indoor mall where I fell in love with a mountain dulcimer which is now accompanying us on our tour.  Joni and I split up from there, but not because I bought the dulcimer.  She shopped and I went to the Malaprop Bookstore some book browsing,  another coffee, and some free WiFi.

We then drove to the Biltmore Village section of Asheville where we had lunch at the Well Bread Café; I had curry cocoanut soup and Joni had curried chicken salad sandwich. After lunch we walked around that section of town, checking out the beautiful grounds surrounding the             entrance to the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore estate.

Returning to the downtown area, we again split up, I recaptured my misspent youth at the Asheville Pinball Museum.

Did you notice the van's reflection?

 Joni returned to the Malaprop bookstore.  

We reunited at this point and visited the nearby St. Lawrence Bascillica which has an oval shaped dome; one of the largest of that shape in US.  

With some time to kill before dinner, and now too tired and cold to walk around we revisited some of the highlights of yesterday’s trolley tour including the residential area along Monfort Avenue and the Oak Grove Inn.

We ended our stay in Asheville, at a Mexican/Caribbean restaurant with two delicious meals. Joni’s “Americana” included roasted pork, rice, beans, plantains, coconut-chili carrots, local greens and a charred tomato salsa.  My “Ultimate Chilaquiles” combined chicken, chorizo, peppers, onions, tomatillo, crema, roasted veggies, rice, beans, fire roasted tomato salsa, plantains, & mojo. Both tasted great, but did not photograph very well.  

We returned to our campsite just before dark, stuffed, and thrilled with our visit to Asheville, what a wonderful city!