Memphis Tennessee

Approaching Memphis you realise how poor the state is, the worst I have seen in America. Within minutes we found Elvis Presley Boulevard where I knew we would find Graceland, the home of Elvis. Paid a visit the the local tourist centre as they are really helpful over here, got $2 off each ticket and free parking, total saving $14.00. Graceland was how I pictured it from all the pictures I had seen but what I didn't count on was it being at the side of this horrible road surrounded by poverty. They have made this into a huge business now for people to walk round, there is Elvis's 2 planes you can go inside, car and bike museum, areas just for his concerts and film career. After a couple of hours it was our turn to board the bus to take us across the road and through the famous gates to the home of the King of Rock n Roll.

Once inside visitors are only allowed to visit the ground floor, the basement and the outside grounds. The house was very bitty, no flow to it no two rooms matched and the colour scheme just didn't go but I guess back in the 70's that's how it was. Elvis had lots of out buildings built to house things like his gold record discs, pool table, an office for his Dad, stables and a remembrance garden where his mother, gran, father and himself are buried. 

All my life I have waited for this day and a part of me is now sad as a lot of what I thought of Elvis is untrue, kind of scattered my illusions of him. But I'm also very happy that I have made it here and paid my respects to Elvis Arron Presley and his family.

Moving on from Graceland we drove to the Sun Studio where Elvis recorded his first track "That's alright Mama" again this place hasn't changed one bit, in fact the whole of Memphis is in a time warp. 

Just down the road is the famous Bearle Street, just like Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Cheap beer, loud music, lots of police and street performers.

The famous A. Schwab shore is still open and well worth a visit, also the Peabody Hotel and it's famous ducks. The Mississippi River was great to see in lovely sunshine and we enjoyed the walk along its banks.

On driving out of Memphis you notice the cemeteries and all the graves have no headstones only a small bunch of flowers to mark them, is this another sign of the poverty that is here?