Memphis Blues to Nashville Country

Arrived in Little Rock early in the evening, went straight to a friends place to be greeted at the door with a frozen margarita before heading out to dinner and a lovely meal.  Next day had a look around Little Rock before heading east to Memphis.

 

Only known building made of bauxite -
who would've thought

The little rock of Little Rock

Pugh's Old Mill - it was in the opening credits of Gone With The Wind
- who has seen the movie to confirm?

Jean & Sue on concrete structures made to look like wood

Absolutely loved Memphis.  Spent the day wandering around the downtown area visiting such tourist attractions as:

The Peabody Hotel Duck March


The Peabody Hotel ducks doing their 11am
march from the 5th floor down the elevator
to the lobby.  At 5pm they reverse the circuit.

The Billy Bass Adoption Centre

Ever wonder what happened to those old singing fish?

The Memphis Firefighters Museum

They also have interactive fire safety programmes here

Mud Island

Scale model of the Mississippi River from go to whoa
- we walked the entire length

Being a Saturday too meant it was mostly us tourists and those catering to us. 

We were planning to hit Beale Street Saturday night but got talked into seeing an Elvis impersonator out by Graceland.  Sorry, an Elvis Tribute

Elvis sings to Jean

Artist.  Although when you have your hair like Elvis and wear those jump suits you are an impersonator in my book.  He had a good voice though and was very entertaining.  We even had the pleasure of the company of Elvis’ cousin's wife and Elvis’ step brother in the audience.



Beale St - where it all used to happen

We had to settle to visiting Beale Street on Sunday morning.  Not quite the same effect without the glowing neon, although plenty of music pumping out. 

From Memphis Blues we headed to Nashville Country, stopping in a few towns along the way to either eat or see the sights (add drinking and you have my 3 favourites).  Had lunch in 
Brownsville - no sign of Delta Dawn but Tina Turner (some of her outfits anyway) will be there soon when her old school house is renovated, Brownsville being not too far from Nutbush (City Limits) where she came from. 

Couple of other towns we went through were Trenton who boast a 31mph speed limit.  There’s a couple of stories how that limit came about, my favourite being Trenton getting one up on their neighbouring town, Kenton.  We got all European after that and cruised

Hard to believe it's not
the real thing

through the towns of Milan and Paris, Paris even boasting an Eiffel Tower replica.  Spent the night in Jackson (is this the one Johnny Cash and June Carter sang about) after spending too long in the Casey Jones Museum.  Once a railway kid, always a railway kid.  Mum & Dad had a record (kids, ask your parents) of railway songs, some with reference to Casey Jones so it great to read about the history of the man.  He was quite a hero.

Actual photo of Casey Jones on the 382 - he's the one in the cab

So now we’re in Nashville, country music capital of the world.  For two people who aren’t big fans of country music what to do, what to do.  Visit the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium of course.  Just for a peek really, don’t really want to go a country music show.  Could handle a rip-snorting hoe-down and maybe some bluegrass but not country (with apologies to all those country music lovers out there).

Grand Ole Opry

Someone left their guitars behind - we're staking a claim
(although may have trouble getting them in our suitcases when we return home)

 

Remember the Dukes of Hazzard.  Visited Cooter’s Place out in Opryland – the actor who played Cooter has set up a museum.  Lots of memorabilia from the TV show, even has a General Lee parked outside.  I just wanted to sit and watch the old re-runs.

 

Dinner last night was rock n roll, lunch today was country, afternoon tea was easy listening rock and country, dinner tonight was hip hop and rap.  Yep, Nashville has something for everyone.  

Relaxing in Nashville