brekfast is in the hotel , buffet style, and we take it at about 08.30.
It's fine, perfectly adaquate.
Over breakfast we discuss with th eother couples what they did last night and there plans for today. Most are planning to visit Gracelands today at some point.
So, after breakfast we go and do a bit of reaearch and deciide where we want to go and what we want to do.
Although this hotel is dead handy for Gracelands is is not so handy for Beales Street (Memphis' main entertainment area), which is about 8 miles downdown.
but.. there is a tour of Sun Studios (where Elvis, ,BB King, Johnny Cash etc recorded in the '50s) and they offer a free shuttle bus service, once an hour.
Right so what we do is get that bus down to Sun Studios, then walk a couple of blocks down to where the entertainment bit of Beales Street is..
It is a very quiet street - not much traffic, but it feels safe enough. We were warned however to watch where we go and not to stray from our chosen course, and try not to look like a tourist!It's fine, perfectly adaquate.
Over breakfast we discuss with th eother couples what they did last night and there plans for today. Most are planning to visit Gracelands today at some point.
So, after breakfast we go and do a bit of reaearch and deciide where we want to go and what we want to do.
Although this hotel is dead handy for Gracelands is is not so handy for Beales Street (Memphis' main entertainment area), which is about 8 miles downdown.
but.. there is a tour of Sun Studios (where Elvis, ,BB King, Johnny Cash etc recorded in the '50s) and they offer a free shuttle bus service, once an hour.
Right so what we do is get that bus down to Sun Studios, then walk a couple of blocks down to where the entertainment bit of Beales Street is..
Anyeay, we get down to Beale St., to BB Kings Club, and in there is the desk for the Back Street tour company. I book 2 seats on the 1.30 'Mojo' tour bus at $28 a head.
Now it's about 12:00, sowe have about 1-1/2 hr to fill before the tour.
A few doors down Beale St. from BB King's is A. Schwab's Store, which
has been trading on the same site, same building, since 1876 and is now
part retail and part museum, spread over 3 floors.
Now it's about 12:00, sowe have about 1-1/2 hr to fill before the tour.
A few doors down Beale St. from BB King's is A. Schwab's Store, which
has been trading on the same site, same building, since 1876 and is now
part retail and part museum, spread over 3 floors.
below: guest what. clue is on the left of the picture.
We have a bit of lunch in there too, before walking back to BB Kings
Blues club to wait for the tour to start at 1.30.
I have the Peanut Butter an d Banana sandwich - Elvis' favorite
(apparently).
above: not mine! below: mine!
As we wait at BB King's there's now a live Soul band playing.
1.30 comes, we board the bus. Our tour guide is Eric and he takes his place behind the driver, facing us. He has his 2 guitars with him and passes around a couple of tamborines and a bucket of shakers to us tourists....
and so the tour proceeds, for about 90 minutes, around the historic places of Memphis.
Did Queenie eat that whole bana split? Sandwich looks great - will try one of those for Sara.
ReplyDeleteI remember Beale Street - VERY noisy!
ReplyDelete