Going to Graceland

Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Galway to Graceland.
And walking in Memphis .
Don't step on my blue suede shoes.

So I was in no hurry from Nashville. I had a slow, leisurely breakfast (basically I grabbed everything before she closed the curtains at 9am) and then decided to take the scenic route to Memphis. I hate the I65 now. It's just trucks and trucks and roadworks. So even though my new route was several hours longer, it would be far more mentally stimulating.

At first, Google didn't know what I was doing and kept trying to send me on the fastest route, "have a nice drive!". So I ended up driving around backwoods Tennessee for a while on my own, until Google admitted defeat and let me take the Nachez Trace Parkway.

The parkway is 444 miles of forested road from Nashville, Tenesee, to Tupelo, Mississippi. It is FAR nicer than driving on a motorway, even though the speed limit is low. It's a National Park, so there are frequent toilets, picnic areas, historic sights, natural sights and overlooks . It was a feast for the eyes. And the feet too, because I could just let cruise control do her thing, and I just steered and admired the scenery. There was ZERO other traffic.

So that was my day. At the goooorgeous Tenesee River, I also crossed the state line into Alabama - my third new state this trip. And then, shortly after, I ended up in Mississippi. Another new state! I was staaaarved at that stage, because I brought no food and I'd driven a few hundred miles. I pulled into a McDonald's in Iuka, (eye-you-ka, the radio confirmed that I was right). I also discover that a larger percentage of the infamous obese Americans live in the south than in the north. Based on my entirely unscientific visual assumptions.

That could be to do with the DELICIOUS chicken burger I had. It was a buttermilk breaded chicken breast on a brioche (I think?) bun, with fresh lettuce and ripe tomatoes. WOW! Mississippi.

Also, no one here ever sits in McDonald's . They'll sit in Starbucks and those places, but not in McDonald's. The interiors are grey and plastic and gross, and the staff give priority to drive thru customers. This is in Indiana too, so it's more an American thing than a southern thing. Think of how classy they've made McDonald's interiors look at home, in Galway, in all of Ireland. They're always over crowded. It's mad that no one even goes near the doors here!

Anyway, I made it to Memphis after that adventure, back on a motorway. My google maps alerted me to two accident/incidents along my route, which were entirely accurate and slowed traffic down horrendously. Eventually I ended up on Elvis Presley Boulevard.

It turns out that last night I booked the only motel literally next door to Elvis.

Graceland mansion and Elvis' grave are across the road, and the tourist money pits like the Lisa Marie plane are next door. My motel plays Elvis music all day . There are framed Elvis photos in all the rooms. The pool is shaped like a guitar.

And then, there are dozens of English people here. Brits. Because, it's freaking ELVIS WEEK. One lady told me there's a waiting list for the motel, so I must have gotten a cancellation or something. There are Elvis performers performing free in giant tents to thousands of people every day. This. Is. Ridiculous.

Saturday night is the vigil at his grave (I like Elvis, CLEARLY not as much as the next girl, but I'm finding it hard to keep a straight face here) and the fake flowers, glitter and kitschy trash is PILING UP.

So the English lady told me they stay at the Days Inn because they don't drive, and I think I took a steady nosedive in her opinion when I 1) knew nothing about Elvis week, 2) had randomly booked the motel the night before, 3) was driving around the USA with no aim and 4) didn't know what August 16th meant . (Death Day)

She DID let me know that visiting the grave was free, so I decided to go over and have a look, even though it was late and I had promised myself an early night of sleep. So... There's the Graceland mansion... It's not that big, and it's in a distinctly weird area. There's a pool house and the pool. And there's a "meditation fountain" which is fine, and has a nice little rotunda around it, and then, BAM. Like four or five graves COVERRRRRED in plastic flowers and laminated photos and teddies and rosaries and leis and tiny easels with fan art... It's... Ridonkulous. And reverential tourists everywhere. One guy blessed himself in front of Elvis' grave then took a gazillion photos of every piece of crap on the grave with his big, loud camera. The place is a social studies daydream.

Anyway, I got some KFC and headed back to my room, which is a little rough around the edges, but I'm taking a day off driving tomorrow so I don't care! Guitar swimming pool, here I come!!!
Other Entries

Comments

Margie McNamara
2015-08-14

You must have been "All Shook Up" after that experience!

2025-02-17

Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank