Where We Have Been - Memphis

From Las Vegas we grabbed a plane to Memphis, which sort of just fell onto the schedule when we were trying to decide where to jump to from Las Vegas before heading to New Orleans for New Year, but we are so glad we went. Home of Soul, the Blues and some argue the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll. 

Our flight to Memphis had us routing via Dallas where, because of our departing flight being delayed, we missed our connection. Dallas Fort Worth airport is a large figure eight with trains and buses transporting you between the various terminals and gates. We were due to board our Dallas to Memphis as we were walking down the air bridge having just arrived. We made a rush for the train and while still in transit received an update from America Airlines, who we travelled to/from the USA and internally with and found great, that our bags had been loaded on our Memphis flight. Needless to say they arrived in Memphis a few hours before us. The ladies at the baggage claim office at Memphis were so enthralled by our Kiwi accents that we struggled to get away.

Memphis is the only place on the trip where we felt unsafe. This may be in part because a lady around our age tapped us on the shoulder as we were catching a bus in the centre of town. She told us she had lived in Memphis all her life but to be careful as there are a lot of people with nothing to lose. We felt uncomfortable after getting off a Trolley Bus that evening to try some Memphis Dry Smoked Ribs as at Central BBQ, the ribs were wonderful but we did uber back to the Hu Hotel,

We visited the Peabody Hotel to watch the twice daily marching of the ducks. Something you’d maybe expect to see in Britain not the USA. Every morning the Duckmaster rolls out the red carpet in preparation for the ducks to arrive from where they reside higher up in the hotel. They are then escorted to a fountain in the lobby where they spend their day before the process is reversed later in the day.

We stumbled across a place called Sun Studio which is credited with discovering Elvis and was also used to record U2’s Rattle and Hum with the drum set on site apparently used for this. There is a really interesting photo on the wall which shows the “Million Dollar Quartet“, an amazing story.

While Elvis was a little before our time you really can’t visit Memphis without visiting Graceland. The mansion isn’t as big as you expect but the mansion and the rest of Graceland across the road was very interesting and well worth visiting. Of course we showed our respects at Elvis’s grave.

It was in Memphis that we came across our second parade, we saw cameras and barricades on Beale Street (a special street) and asked one of the camera men what was going on. We then jumped on a bus to do a circuit of the central area of Memphis. A couple in town for the Football game asked us if we were going to the Bass Pro Shop as they always did when they were in town. They told us it was in the former Memphis Pyramid. We knew nothing about it but when it came into view we had to stop and have a wander. Wow what a shop, 535,000 square feet. Inside there are live fish in ponds, live alligators in ponds, 100-foot-high cypress trees, a pistol range, sporting goods of every kind and much much more.

We subsequently returned to watch the Liberty Bowl Parade on Beale Street where we had dinner and enjoyed being entertained by a couple great musicians, who also hooked onto our Kiwi accents, while having a couple of cold beers. 

Once we had finished with Memphis it was time for an Amtrak, (it’s an American Icon), to New Orleans for New Year.

Closing Thought: Memphis, you appear a little tired but you certainly have Soul. We’ll end up with the Blues if we never get back.