We departed our campground during a wild storm. Ken and I got caught in it during our morning walk and got soaked! We were especially excited to reach Memphis as we were looking forward to our reunion with our friends, The Canadians! It was great to be with them all again and we stayed up late, catching up on the last few months.
The next day, we took off for the city of Memphis, tour map in hand. We stopped first at the famous Peabody Hotel. We have never heard of it but it seems it’s an internationally renowned hotel. Why? Because of the ducks. Yes, ducks. Twice a day, they take six ducks from their home up on the roof of the hotel, bring them down the elevator and walk them along the red carpet to the hotel’s fountain in the lobby. We can say we have seen the famous ducks and feel more complete now! After our duck experience, we walked across the street to the Rendezvous Rib Joint. This restaurant has been an institution in Memphis for more than 50 years and many of the waiters have been with the restaurant for more than 30 years. The pork ribs were super yummy and almost as good as Ken’s ribs!
On Saturday afternoon, we headed over to Collierville to visit the Bassett family. We knew Julie and her family since our days in Carmel Indiana. In kindergarten, Julie’s son Blake had a crush on Nikki, even professing to buy her a Corvette when they eventually got married. It was fun to see him again (six years later!) and see if the spark was still there! Blake and Nikki would have adorable kids so Julie and I will keep them in touch to see what happens.
That evening, we adults made our way to Beale Street which is THE street for blues, beer and partying. They block off about 3 streets and people roam around, alcohol in hand. Helen and I even got tattoos, much to the horror of our offspring. The kids actually thought we got REAL tattoos. Did they really think we would subject ourselves to that kind of pain? I guess so!
What better way to spend Mother’s Day then to visit the home of the KING – Graceland! What a production! We bought tickets on one side of “Elvis Presley Blvd.” and then were shuttled across the street to his mansion. The house was not huge (by today’s standards) but it felt like a home and the grounds were spacious and beautiful. The house was just how he left it, shag carpet and all. We learned more than just the glitzy part of the man. We learned he was a very generous man and a loyal friend to many. If anyone came to him that fell upon hard times, he was quick to help them out. He also donated to over 50 charities and continues to do so through his estate. He would be a mere 74 years old if he was still alive and it sure would be great to have him with us still.
Continuing our adventure in the South, we are now off to Huntsville Alabama.
