APtravelnews-October 25th- Florence, Alabama-Barb and I travel quite a bit all over the place.  You would know this if you’ve been a regular visitor to our APtravelnews.com.  Once in awhile we stumble across a place in time and space that just makes us marvel at all the great things a tourist, or local can experience without going to a big city, or taking a cruise, or visiting anywhere else in the world!

Florence, AL. ( Florence is Firenze in Italy) and the American city of Florence, in many ways is reminiscent of that special city in Italy known for the Renaissance and the “Enlightenment” period that pulled much of Europe out of the Dark Ages! Florence, AL.is known as a place that birthed the Blues, and visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum pulls at the heart strings of anyone who thinks they can whistle a tune about crying over losing their wife, their dog or their boat, that so many Country songs draw on for song content  thematic’s. We visited several venues that featured all manner of music history and up-to-date music digital publishing of the latest songs coming from the souls and lips of would-be and hopeful stars and those that already have made a name for themselves in the music industry as well. We spent some time at FAME Studios2 for a tour of the facility and found out that anyone who wishes can cut a digital mastered song for hourly or daily fees that seemed quite reasonable to us. For more information go:http://www.fame2.com after visiting this studio we headed for the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway. This location is known by anyone interested in Country Music as the small studio that the likes of Cher, Wilson Pickett, Rolling Stones, Paul Simon,Bob Segar, Aretha Franklin and so many others too numerous to mention. This location is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The location is being renovated at this time thanks to a very generous million dollar gift from a music maker and lover! Their website encourages donations. Check out their website: www.msmusicfoundation.org 

After heading over to Bunyan’s BBQ in Downtown BBQ sandwich. 

Have you ever been spooky scared? Do you enjoy Halloween? Would you like to be frightened out of your shorts and pay 20-bucks for it? Would you make a donation to serious children’s causes (that’s where the 20-bucks go)? Go do it, but my caveat: Its not for the faint of heart. Arx Mortis is probably the greatest haunted attraction anywhere. Well over one hundred volunteers are actors and enjoy scaring the pants off of you. Promise; this is the best spooky spot in America. People drive their families here for over one hundred miles to get scared nearly to death! www.arxmortis.com

.Frank Lloyd Wright designed and had built some of the most iconic homes in the world. The Rosenbaum home in Florence, AL. is but one of them. Fantastic experience to visit this home that balances form so well  with function! The Rosenbaum House will be featured in our next article: “Florence, AL. Adventure 3”