MEMPHIS TN

We decided to start our touring day after rush hour. Our first stop was going to be the Marching duck of The Peabody Hotel.

Riggs had to hold down the fort. He has learned how to rock in the rocking chair so he was at his post.

After many times of getting turned around, we saw the hotel. Finally found a spot to park, but it was a meter and of course all our change was in a cup in the fiver. The spot was right in front of a small cafe, so Sam went in to get change. Sam being Sam he came out talking to two gentlemen. The one guy gave us the 4 quarters and wouldn’t take the dollar bill. Southern hospitality. We walked the 6 blocks to the hotel. This is a first class facility, absolutely gorgeous. The lobby has many cases of carved ivory pieces. We got there around 10:15, the march starts at 1100..the place was packed. I made some great notes on the speech give by the major domo, but of course can’t find them. Gist of it was the owner of the hotel and a buddy went duck hunting and they did more drinking than hunting. He woke up the next morning and here swimming in the fountain were ducks. He thought oh well, I’ll just take them back, but the guests enjoyed them so much he kept them. Sometime later a friend of his, who turned out to be a famous animal trainer, bet him he could train the ducks to march from the penthouse to the fountain, and the rest is history.  After that the owner told the chef he could have anything he wanted on the menu except duck. We tried but no pictures…the ducks do not march, they run faster than an F stop.

We then went to the infamous Beale Street.

This shop caught our eye and of course we had to stop and talk to the owner, he was quite a character

 

Memphis is home of the Cardinals AAA team.

We were told that we should go to BB Kings as they were having auditions and would be a lot of music. Turned out they were going to be later in the day. We had a good lunch. Sam got Yuenling beer that he used to get in Pennsylvania.  Again, lost notes, but the tables are all individual painted by a friend of BB’s

These faucets were in the ladies room, never seen anything like them. Reminded me of growing up when we had a

pump outside to get water. Then more walking Beale St

Didn’t even want to know how big these were.  

This where they make the famous Gibson guitars.

Of course had to show this to our Canadian friends.

Next stop Graceland. We knew we weren't going to take any of the tours, the cheapest is 33.00 a person. We thought we would just get a few pictures from the outside and be on our way.  We went into the Graceland parking lot..geez $10.00 to park, guy at said to go to where it is marked entrance and  a shuttle takes you to the mansion. Uh, he didn’t mention that also cost 30.00 so we left. Did get this one pic of the plane of Lisa’s  

Two observations about drivers in Mississippi, speed limits are only a suggestion and they use their hazard lights a lot.  I got caught in a terrible downpour on way back from market yesterday, one of those that you are lucky to see your own hood ornament. On the interstate ever car had on its flashers, even the ones going 70.

Guess I have rambled long enough. P.S. Donna Cave suggested we see the goats that feed on beer, guess they were waiting for happy hour.

P.S,S. Riggs did a good job, everything quiet on the front.

Be safe out there.