Day 5 - Graceland and Memphis

Day 5

We awoke All Shook Up to find that we were actually staying virtually opposite the King himself. After a continental breakfast, we headed over to Graceland. The mansion itself was very understated. It felt very much like a home, even though a few of the rooms were OTT, like the Jungle Room with its green shag pile on the floor and ceiling. Some of the out-buildings were full of Elvis memorabilia; his outfits, gold discs and awards, but all in all it was not overbearing and was a bit like Hard Rock Cafe but with fewer guitars. The grave site was very tasteful and perhaps a little moving.

After Graceland we got a free shuttle bus into Memphis and walked up Beale Street to have lunch in Blues City Cafe. We then went on a Backbeat Tour which involved a bus and an all singing and guitar playing tour guide. Charis played the tambourine and the rest of us had fun with the shakers. We saw many historical sites, such as the place where Martin Luther King was assassinated, Johnny Cash’s house, the place where Elvis had his high school prom, Sun Studios and Stax Records. Before getting our bus back to the hotel, we stopped off for a wee drink at Silky O’Sullivans where there was live jazz band playing. And a wee drink constitutes as a 32 fl oz beer.

Back at the hotel, Charis, Kishan and Rowena went for a swim in the guitar shaped pool and then we all decided that we were too exhausted to go out for dinner so we ordered in Chinese. We then passed out at 10pm after watching Dolly Parton’s Straight Talking, despite having 24 hours of Elvis films available.

A little less conversation, a little more action pleeeeeeeeeeeease!