The Quirke Tribe: USA

Memphis has more to it than just Graceland, so we spent another day touring around the city and doing the other tourist "must do's". Although I do recommend that if you go, make sure it is during the week, not on a weekend as the shops shut at 1pm on Saturday arvo and are closed all day Sunday. We caught the trolley around the city to check things out, very cheap only $1 per person each way and saw the damage from the severe flooding that had swept through the region only a week prior to our arrival. It was touch and go for awhile if we would even make to Memphis as most of area had been flooded because the mighty Mississippi had broken its banks and water was up into the city. Lucky for us, Graceland was ok and so was Beale Street, where all the Memphis action happens.

ELVIS' HEARTBREAK HOTEL

Where else to stay other than the place made famous by the song. 24 hour Elvis, Elvis live concerts in the dining room, Elvis movies on the TV, Elvis pictures on the wall and Elvis radio, it was all a bot much for Lyndon but great for me. It even had direct dial to Elvis' favourite restaurant "Marlows", so off we went in the pink limo to eat where the King did, all those years ago.

The hotel pool and Elvis memorabilia

Every afternoon it was drinks in the Jungle Room and then dinner at Marlows

BEALE STREET and MEMPHIS MUSIC ATTRACTIONS

Our tour took us to where it all started - the "Birthplace of Rock 'N' Roll" where an 18 year old Elvis walked in and recorded his first album. Sun Studios is where all the early greats recorded their first hits, BB King, Wowlin Wolf, Ike Turner, Johhny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. Full of priceless memorabilia, is was a great history lesson.

Where it all began, very humble beginnings.

Equipment used by the session musicians for the big artists and walls and walls filled with history.

Lyndon doing his best Elvis move, and X marks the spot - where Elvis stood during his recordings.

Outside the sports arena and the Rock 'N' Soul Museum were these balls that kept the kids occupied whilst we waited for the bus. Memphis has its own "Walk of Fame" but for music legends, this note is for Johhny Cash

Lunch at B.B. Kings' Restaurant was great, the music was amazing with the guy in red actually looking exactly like the legend himself.

Carriage rides around the city were popular with the tourists. Beale Street on a Saturday night is no place for kids so we just watched for awhile from the curb. The police cordon off 2 city blocks and check for ID on the way in at each end. All the bars and restaurants are full to the brim so eating, drinking and musical entertaiment is all out on the street. Just like schoolies on the GC really.

THE PEABODY HOTEL

A Memphis icon, it has been around for about 150 odd years and is famous for its ducks. A previous owner had a passion for ducks and kept them as pets. They followed him everywhere around the hotel and came down to work with him. Today, the new owners keep the tradition alive and at 9am every morning they come down in the lift, swim in the foyer fountain all day and at 5pm catch the lift back up to their home on the roof.

The Grand Foyer at the Peabody with the ducks in the fountain.

A palace fit for a duck.

MEMPHIS RIVEBOAT CRUISE

Our very own "Proud Mary" excursion. It was wierd being on the Mississippi River in full flood, to see the water so high that you could nearly touch the tops of 200 yr old trees and the bottom of the bridge. We did the dinner and dance cruise which was a great way to see the city at night. Although there were only a few people onboard, the kids added to the atmosphere by actually being nice to each other and dancing to entertain the crowd. Southern style fried food, lots of beans and pulled pork, not exactly the type of food we were used to, but it was ok none the less. Lucky the beers were cold!