Graceland & Memphis TN

Today we arrived in Memphis, Tennessee.  This is a first visit for me and it was an opportunity to see Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.  The grounds and home are maintained impeccably with tours managed in such a way that the crowds don’t feel overwhelming as you walk through the mansion.  That makes the visit more personable as if you are a guest in his home not a curious fan.  This is also the site where Elvis, his parents and his grandmother are buried. 

The tour includes an iPad with earphones for each person on the tour that describes each room of the house and the grounds as you go through filling in details about Elvis, the room’s use, its décor and bits of history.  The description changes as you move about automatically and includes interactive options as well if you want more details by just touching the screen as you go.  It made it so special because I could hear and see each description very well as I walked about.  Technology is amazing!

We were impressed by how many tourists were here from other countries.  With the kids back in school, seniors were certainly in the majority on this tour and obviously we’re the generation who remembers Elvis the best at this point.  The tour includes the main level and lower level (basement) of the home, the grounds and outer buildings situated on thirteen acres that make up the estate.  Across the street the two custom jet planes used by Elvis are on display.  I don’t know what I imagined Graceland to be, but I came away with a respect for the man Elvis was because of the down-to-earth and charitable way in which he lived according to what we were told on the tour and from the homey feeling of his residence.

Daughter of Elvis, Lisa Marie still returns to stay in the home when she is in town.  The upper level is a private family area the tour does not include.  There are still horses on the property, although we did not see them during our time there.  The Mississippi River is about a five-minute drive away and downtown Memphis is about twenty minutes from the estate.

We went down to Memphis after the tour for dinner with Jim’s nephew Danny and his wife Ginger at the Blues City Café which has been featured on television and in magazines for its ribs.  We tried the gumbo soup, the ribs and ended the meal with pecan pie à la mode.  The opportunity to visit with Danny and Ginger was terrific.

We all strolled Beale Street (the main street of Memphis) after dinner on what turned out to be the traditional Wednesday “bike night” downtown listening to blues music coming from a couple of outdoor venues as well as bars and restaurants along the street making it a very festive atmosphere and the music reminding me of New Orleans.  Crowds of all ages were admiring the bikes and enjoying the warm evening fragrant with the smells of Southern cooking lingering along the street.