Memphis

Wednesday 8^th. February

Mainly driving down long straight roads with Miles at the wheel doing a great job following the lady on the satnav to Memphis. Eventually we pulled in to town down Elvis Presley Boulevarde and past Graceland before we knew it. Round the block and back to the Heartbreak Hotel and Graceland RV park. 

Connected to the services and had the luxury of mains electricity and water and brewed a cup of tea before heading for the hotel bar which was very dissapointing, but soon we got a free ride in a fabulous pink Cadillac to be taken to Marlowes, a rib restaurant steeped in 50's gear and Elvis photos.

 I had the local catfish and the guys went for burgers again. After that we were tired and retired to our beds, looking forward to the Graceland experience in the morning.

Thursday 9^th. February

Up early to do the washing and it is still cold and grey, but by ten we were in the queue for the Graceland Platinum tour. The house is on the opposite side of the road from us but it is a very busy road so buses pick us all up to go the 100 yards to the front door. The whole thing is tracked by a headphone guide and is quite amazing but does not transfer to my words, you have to be there and experience it for yourself. 

The house tour is followed by the 68 special, the Elvis experience, the cars, and the planes exhibitions on our side of the road, every step of the way there is another gift shop with everything covered in Elvis from thimbles to replica jump suits at $3000.

Heartbreak Hotel runs a $5 shuttle so we jumped aboard with one way tickets to Beale Street and it was Jumpin! We were blinded by the neon and music blasted out of every bar all very confusing so Miles decided we should visit the place that advertised 200 beers. It turned out to be a mellow place with a very large fellow with lots of gadgets on his 8 string guitar playing B B King and Motown hits. 

The place was called The Kings Palace (One of the two photographs of Robert Johnson was taken in a studio above this place) and next door was the tap room so after eating gumbo/fish tales/ crab cakes we called in to find a great band with a rasta type guy on guitar and a kicking band called The Plantation Allstars. Down the street a little on a corner was Rum Boogie Cafe with a Stax style band spread out along one wall. The singer reminded me of a badger with a cap on and the the drummer was rock solid and a cool vocalist but looked like a retired businessman. Through a connecting door was another scene called Mr Handy's Blues Hall with Patrick Dodd Trio, who was a very talented young singer/guitarist with dreads who we thought would go down very well at the Tenby Blues Festival. 

 

After a quick sortie down the street to sus out B B Kings Club (smooth soul band) we ducked back in to this double venue for the last set. Taxi back to Graceland $25.