Memphis is on the mighty Mississippi River. It’s the crossroads of the United States 🇺🇸. America is unusual to have such good geography with a navigable inland river system. It’s an enormous strategic advantage for America.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Dr Martin Luther King
I love Memphis, everybody here is so polite, it’s all, and “Yes Ma’am, no Ma’am, and Can I help you Maam".
I've learnt a new expressions too, like if something doesn't work it's, "That dog won't hunt."
Louise was at breakfast this morning and was looking for some skim milk, and the big black chef said, "Now, why you need fat free milk for girl?" Exactly, "She ain't got enough junk in her trunk."
It's a nice and warm here, with clear blue skies. Our small tour bus, from Blues City Sightseeing Tours ($24), looking like a small toaster on wheels, picked us up from the hotel at 9.45am.
Our first stop was Beale Street, which was deserted at this time in the morning. This is BB King's on the corner (pictured above).
Next stop was the Peabody Hotel, where at exactly 11am the famous ducks march along the red carpet to their duck pond in the lobby, after coming down in the elevator from their penthouse. That's an example of Southern hospitality, where even the ducks are treated well. There are four females, and one male, and that’s why they call him 'one lucky duck'!
Then it was to Sun Studios (pictured below), where Elvis recorded his first album.
The next stop was the Memphis tourist centre with its giant statues of Elvis and BB King.
We passed the Masonic Centre where Dr Martin Luther King gave his last speech, “……I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land”.
These were prophetic words because he was shot and killed here on the second floor of the Lorraine Motel (pictured above). It is now The National Civil Rights Museum.
There was another short stop at Beale Street again, where Louise bought a hat for one dollar from Schwab's (pictured below).
The bus went past Graceland, and then back to Downtown.
David, our driver, was nice and dropped us off at the Memphis River boats on the Mississippi River.
We had a one and half hour cruise ($20) on the Mississippi river, the World's third largest river. Interestingly, we passed an Exxon fuel refinery, and we learnt that 75% of America's fuel still travels by barge. Each of these river barges carries a million gallons! Don't worry; after Exxon Valdez disaster they got out of the transport side of the business.
On the way back the boat crossed the state line into Arkansas. You might remember a former governor, who later became president - Bill Clinton (Monica Lewinsky certainly does).
The cruise provides a good view of the Memphis skyline (pictured above).
It was a short walk back to Beale Street, along deserted streets, and empty businesses, a reminder that Memphis, and the South is in decline, like many of these middle 'fly over' states. Only a few days ago we were in Silicon Valley, and the technology leading San Francisco area, which contrasts strongly with the old 'blue collar' Memphis economy.
Around the corner from Beale Street is the Memphis RocknSoul Museum ($10), which gave a fascinating history of the importance of Memphis to music. To understand Memphis music, you have to understand the rural Southern economy. Between 1935 and 1960 7.6 million rural southerners left their land. It brought country music and black music together, and as Memphis was an important stop for musicians travelling up and down the Mississippi river, musical interchanges occurred in the clubs and studios. But more importantly, what was needed was a white singer able to sing black music - that singer was Elvis Presley.
After the museum, we walked up Beale Street, pausing to listen to some really good Blues music being played in the open plaza, before talking to some friendly Memphis bike police (top right) on the corner. They got even friendly after we gave them police badges (thanks mum). We discovered Policing issues are pretty much universal, although in their system the patrol police don't do the investigation work like in Australia, that is only done by sergeants or detectives.
We were reassured it was safe to walk to the hotel we stopped into the pharmacy (like a mini supermarket), and we spoke with the friendly security guard who was actually a cop working a second job to put his kids through college. (pictured below)
In Memphis everybody, is friendly, and very polite, and we can confirm the South's reputation for hospitality and good manners is well deserved.
Tomorrow is the big day - Graceland!
