Saturday 19 October - more Memphis!

Yesterday was such a lovely sunny, warm day but this morning was overcast, wet and cold!  We walked out of the hotel down to the Mud Island Reserve and Museum which opened at 10am.  We walked over the river into the museum and paid $US10 entry fee.  The assistant was happy to give us the audio headset to listen to information as we walked through the museum.  Took us 1.5hrs.  We loved it – thought it was great, especially the re-creation of the riverboats and civil war battles along the river.

View of steam ship terminal in foreground and Mud Island in background

Took the upside down trolley back to the mainland.  Walked into Union St looking for a place to have lunch and landed at Denny’s.

Had just enough time to eat and start walking to Beale St, up to the Beale St Landing to board our steamboat, the Island Queen.  She left smartly at 2.30pm for a 1.5hr fully narrated cruise.  We all agreed that it was a good thing we’d done the museum before the cruise as we understood more fully the story of the Mississipi River and events through Memphis’ history.  Loved it, even though the wind blowing was cold!

Finished the cruise and walked further uptown.  We were looking for the Lorraine Motel, the place where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968.

Walking back to town we found Gus’ Famous Fried Chicken café.  We had heard about this place from some lovely people we spoke to at breakfast, at the Marriott.  They were all wearing red shirts which said 'Coach Jackson's Family' - they were all there to watch the football.  Unfortunately, too many of them decided to turn up for the football match and he didn't have tickets for them all!  They had recommended we try 'Gus' southern chicken' because it was 'the BEST'.....  luckily we found it!  We bought some pieces as the cafe was PACKED - probably because most of 'em were on their way home after the football....  we had to wait but it was worth it - we bought salad from the deli and had a room party!

After dining, we walked down to Beale St.  There were plenty of people, market stalls in the park.  People were dancing to a band in the park which we thought was pretty good, so we bought some drinks - starting with Kerren and her  32oz vodka punch, the Davids with 32oz beers, me and my margaritas, the 'light flasher' - the band's helper, and Kez's "dancing buddy" who just kept coming up to us with double thumbs up asking us: ‘right on?’  He was slurring so badly we had no idea what he was saying for ages.... and then one of us worked it out - we were laughing so hard!

Friday 18 October - Memphis!!!

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county of Shelby. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff.

Memphis had a population of 655,155 in 2012 making it the largest city in the state of Tennessee, the largest city on the Mississippi River. This makes Memphis the second largest metropolitan area in Tennessee, surpassed only by metropolitan Nashville. Memphis is the youngest of Tennessee's major cities. A resident of Memphis is referred to as a Memphian and the Memphis region is known, particularly to media outlets, as "Memphis and the Mid-South".

Kez and Dave were booked on the Platinum Gracelands tour this morning so we dropped them there at about 9.30.  Dave and I went 2 miles down the road to Walmart and did some shopping before going over to Home Depot for more.  On the way back, we stopped at a Liquor Store and bought some Jack’s as well as a Prosecco called ‘Cupcake’ and some Gran Reserva Concha y Toro.

Decided we would head back to Sears at the Southern Mall to be close to pick up time for Kez and Dave.  In the carpark was an IHOP so we also had lunch.

Picked the guys up, drove back into town to find the place to buy cruise tickets for tomorrow.  We really wanted to do the dinner cruise but it was booked out.  That done, we dropped Kez and Dave at Sun Studios to do the tour and we headed back to the hotel to sort out the shopping.  

Inside Sun Studios booking a tour

We all met at the Peabody Hotel just after 4pm.  The lobby area was crowded with people, In the middle of the lobby was a marble fountain with 4 ducks swimming around in it!  Dave and I managed to get a seat on a lounge.  Lined up at the bar for a couple of beers.  Kez and Dave arrived, $US15 for a glass of chardonnay!  At about 4.30 the Duck Master appeared with a red carpet.  He made some announcements over the next 30 minutes whilst roping off the area and rolling out a red carpet which stretched from the fountain to the elevator.  At 5pm precisely, the Duck Master pushed a red carpeted stair platform up to the fountain and the four ducks promptly jumped up out of the fountain and walked along the red carpet to the elevator which took them up to their  Duck Palace on the rooftop – floor 15 of the hotel.  We had to wait an hour before being allowed to go up and see them in their ‘palace’ on the roof!  This is a tradition which has been continuing for some 80 years!

The ducks in their fountain

Top storey of the Peabody - floor 15

Did a spot of shopping in the lovely stores, David found a beautiful blue silk shirt which was covered with motifs from Tennessee, as the saleslady said, ‘That shirt is a whole conversation in itself!’

Decided to walk across the road into a sports bar which was a part of the Holiday Inn.  The guys had barbecue ribs and I had a burger… no Beale St tonight.

One of the magnificent coaches which can be hired for a horse carriage ride around the district!

October 17 - Nashville to Memphis

Tried to get an early start today as we were travelling to Memphis.

Firstly, off to look at Bass Pro Shop for opening time.  Kez and Dave were amazed with the products and displays inside.  They especially liked the huge fish tank with live catfish and other fish swimming around inside.  Next we had a quick look at the Grand Ole Opry but decided we didn’t want to do a tour.   It was cold this morning, rainy and overcast, so we walked across the carpark into the Opryland Hotel.  It is just such an awesome place, with its mini-river flowing though complete with catfish, goldfish and Koi;  the atrium roof and the plants, waterfall, shops and restaurants.  We had morning tea at the coffee shop which serves Starbucks style and sat under the atrium enjoying the ambiance.  We should have probably tried to book a night there, it is awesome!  Note that for another time....

Outside the Grand Ole Opry - love the Fall decorations!

View inside the Opryland Hotel, under the atrium where we sat and enjoyed our coffee and morning tea...

Drove on to Memphis, stopping at Cracker Barrel restaurant for lunch.  Dave kept us entertained with his quick fingers on the satellite radio stations and we were listening to anything from 70's, 80's, 90's and the Elvis station!  

We decided to stop at the Memphis information centre which turned out to be a good idea, because the attendant told us about places to go, such at the Peabody Hotel and the steamboat cruises.

We checked in at Springhill Suites Marriott.  Walked down to Beale St for a look see at the jazz and blues district.  Decided to eat at Albert’s and our server, Brandon, was very efficient and friendly.  We liked the band playing in the park, especially when they played Stevie Wonder and ‘The Funk’ song… complete with local ‘talent' - locals dancing by themselves to the music and being very friendly....

Top of Beale St - note BB King's is closed after the fire...

At 'Alberts' - with my double margarita!

October 16 - Kerren's Birthday in Nashville!

It was Kerren’s birthday, she was wearing her Queen’s glasses.  

We decided to drive to Lynchburg to do the Jack Daniels’ whisky tour because it was rainy, overcast and cold.  

Lynchburg is a city in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is governed by a consolidated city0county government unit whose boundaries coincide with those of Moore County. Lynchburg is best known as the location of the Jack Daniel's distillery, whose famous whiskey is marketed world-wide as the product of a city with only one traffic light. Despite the operational distillery, Lynchburg's home county of Moore is a dry county.

About a 1.5hr drive down, stopped at Walmart along the way to buy a couple of pre-paid visa cards.  Kez had a ball doing some Halloween shopping! I ordered Lego.  We arrived at Jack’s and were able to book on to the 2.30pm 'Tour with Tastings'.  Had time to go into the town square for lunch at the Iron kettle (where we’d gone with Lesley and Jim on a previous visit)  - great burgers and coffee.  Dave M went on a 'shopping frenzy' in the Jack’s shop!  Arrived for our tour with our guide, Leslie, and at the end we were allowed 3 x 10ml tastings:  Gentleman Jack’s, Jack’s No 7 and Single Barrel.  I like Gentleman Jack’s the best!

The boys at the entrance to the distillery

By the time we were leaving, it was getting dark.  Almost back to Nashville we were able to stop at Cracker Barrel for dinner.  Kez told the waitress it was her birthday and a few of the staff sang a Happy Birthday to her.  She loved it!

Back at the hotel, we were treated to a fashion parade from Dave with his Jack’s clothing and ‘Witchy Woman’ – Kerren’s Halloween outfit!

Kez and I at 'the tastings'

October 15 - Nashville, Tennesee!

The town of Nashville was founded by James Robertson, John Donelson and a party of Overmountain Men in 1779, near the original Cumberland settlement of Fort Nashborough. It was named for Francis Nash, the American Revolutionary War hero. Nashville quickly grew because of its strategic location, accessibility as a river port, and its later status as a major railroad center. In 1806, Nashville was incorporated as a city and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee.

As the city's name itself is a metonym for the country music industry, many popular tourist sites involve country music, including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Belcourt Theatre, and Ryman Auditorium. Ryman was home to the Grand Old Opry until 1974 when the show moved to the Grand Ole Opry House, 9 miles (14 km) east of downtown. The Opry plays there several times a week, except for an annual winter run at the Ryman.

Numerous music clubs and honky-tonk bars can be found in downtown Nashville, especially the area encompassing Lower Broadway, Second Avenue, and Printer's Alley which is often referred to as "the District".

Today we left Ft Lauderdale for the musical sounds of Nashville!

Flight on Southwest Air, Dave had organized ‘speedy boarding’ and so we were on first.  Found our bags and organized the hire car.  Found our Chrysler Town&Country with a Texas number plate  BFY 4478 – Kez says, ‘Best Friends Y’all!’

Drove into Nashville downtown and checked in.  Walked down to Broadway, found the boot shops and went for lunch at the Rock Bottom Brewery.

In the evening, we went looking and listening in honky tonk bars and shopped for boots.  Ended up in the Sports Bar for burgers, and the server turned out to be from Skaneateles (a town in New York state which we visited when we were staying in Tully!).  He was very surprised that we knew where it was!

The two Davids at the beginning of 'Broadway' - the party street!

Couldn't miss a photo with 'The King' of Rock n Roll!

Love the humour in this town!

Checking out the nightlife!