Road Trip Part 2 - Memphis, TN - May 2013

And the road trip continues....

Little Rock was just an appetizer.  Memphis was the main course.  We pulled into Tennessee about 4-ish.

Crossing the state line from Arkansas to Tennessee.

Downtown Memphis.

We stayed at the Doubletree on Union Avenue, which turned out to be a fantastic location!  We were two blocks from Beale Street, right across the street from Autozone Park and three blocks from the FexEx Center, which is where the Memphis Grizzlies play.  They are in the playoffs!

  

The Orpheum Theatre was built in 1890 and was the "grandest theatre outside New York City".  In 1923, the theatre burned to the ground.  In 1928, it was rebuilt at the cost of $1.6 million dollars.  It was twice as big and more opulently decorated than the first theatre.  It was purchased by a movie chain and ran first run movies until 1976.  There was talk of tearing it down but then it was purchased by the Memphis Development Foundation and started having live performances again.

I believe it's a law that you cannot go to Memphis without going to Graceland to pay homage to the King.

The only picture of the two of us for the low, low price of $25!

So when they say 'mansion', I'm thinking Highland Park.  It's a really big house. 

The living room was decorated by Elvis.  He really liked that teal blue color.  They wouldn't let you go upstairs because that was Elvis' private area.  But we did get to see his parents' room which was on the first floor.  Nice.  The rooms were really a good size.

From the back yard.  There was a room called the "jungle room" that had shag carpet on the ceiling.  Oh those crazy '70's...

The back yard was huge.  It was definitely an estate.  There were horses and lots and lots of trees. 

After you walk from the back yard, you go into what is called the Trophy room.  There's all kinds of photos and memorabilia.

This long hall way is filled with Elvis' gold records.  He won three grammys - all for gospel music.

Scene from Jailhouse Rock.

Elvis' Army uniform.

The room after the trophy room was an old racquetball studio that was converted. 

Hunk-a hunk-a burnin' love...

This is just sad.  Elvis, his parents and his maternal grandmother are buried on the grounds of Graceland.

The "Lisa Marie" - Elvis' private jet.  It's not aging well...

The famous pink Cadillac. I think it was his mamma's.

Right next to the Graceland complex is the Heartbreak Hotel.  It really is at the end of Lonely Street!

When in Memphis, it's all about the BBQ.  We stopped at A&R Barbecue which was listed as one of the Top 7 places in Memphis according to some foodie magazine.  It was a dive!

I got pork shoulder with potato salad and fried pickles.  It was SO good.  John got a slab of uncut ribs, no knife and a plastic fork.  The rib meat fell right off the bone.  Very tasty!

After Graceland, we drove around Memphis some.  The city sits right on the banks of the Mississippi River.  I took this from a park that runs along the river. 

This goofy looking structure used to be the convention center.  Now it's being turned into the Bass Pro Shop.  What do pyramids have to do with fishing?

Another view of the river.  I love the river.  It's very peaceful.  It's kind of brown and I wouldn't want to swim in it but I like to sit and listen to what it has to say.

Right across the street from our hotel is Autozone Park - home of the Memphis Redbirds.  This is a feeder team for the St. Louis Cardinals.  They were playing the Round Rock Express which is a team that feeds the Texas Rangers. 

This guys was pretty funny.

Really good pitching.  The Redbirds skunked the Express.  It was fun. 

Beale Street.  My kinda place.

Beale Street after the game.  It was crazy!  You couldn't get near the drink window.  It was like Bourbon Street.

Sun Studios where rock n roll got it's start.  Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash all started here.

It started out as a recording service rather than a record label.  At 18 Elvis came in and recorded a song.  A year later, they called him back to be part of a studio group.  We got to hear tapes of him trying different songs.  Then he sang 'That's alright mama'.  The rest is history.

After Sun Studios, we went by the Civil Rights Museum.  This is the balcony of the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was shot in April of 1968.  In the window, you can see a reflection of the building across the street.  It's the boarding house from where James Earl Ray shot him.  The boarding house is now part of the museum.  It's very sobering to be here.

 

Standing in front of MLK's room and looking back at the boarding house.  The open window right above the tree (the first building) is where the shot came from.

That night,  Sir Paul McCartney played at the Fed Ex Center two blocks from our hotel.  We thought we might "drop in" but for $300 each, we decided to pass.

Right off Beale street is this status of Elvis.

It was a really good trip.  I liked Memphis.  It was too bad that like all vacations, it had to come to an end.  We drove back to Dallas the next morning.  We left about 8 and were home by 3:30.  It's pretty bleak between Memphis and Little Rock.  Not much going on.  Lot's of fields though I don't know what they were growing.  Hang a left onto I-30 at Little Rock and the scenery changes.  Between Little Rock and Dallas it's all ranch land.  Nothing but belligerent cows planning their escape.

We let out a 'woohoo!' when we crossed the state line into Texas.  75 mph all the home, baby!

Thanks for a great time, Memphis and Little Rock!