Civil Rights Museum, Beale Street II and Mud Island

---

Today was another beautiful day in Memphis. We got up early (5:30am) and had a nice breakfast.....then went to the 9th floor terrace at our hotel to look at the Mississippi River and enjoy the morning.

We then drove to see Sun Studios....we didn't go on the tour although wanted to see this building anyway. The parking lot wasn't open yet as it was too early (9:00am).

We then drove to the National Civil Rights Museum which is located at what used to be the Loraine Motel. This is the site of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination which took place on the hotel balcony on April 4th, 1968. The museum was wonderfully done and very informative. The room where Dr. King stayed is made up just as he left it and there is a wreath marking the spot where he was shot. It is very unsettling to know you are "where it happened". Kim and I were glad we visited and learned a lot about the history of the Civil Rights movement.

Then we went back to Beale Street for a follow up visit so we could eat lunch at BB King's Blues Club. Kim is a big fan of BB, so she was especially happy to be able to visit and enjoy the music and atmosphere. We enjoyed a plate of "Sausage and Cheese" ...this must be a big thing here in Memphis as it's on a lot of the menus down here. It is smoked sausage, hunks of different cheeses, raw carrots, raw celery, crackers and served with ranch dressing and BBQ sauce. It's like your personal plate of appetizers. We enjoyed this very much.

We then walked up and down Beale Street for 'one last time'....snapping pictures along the way. We saw FedEx Forum where the NBA Memphis Grizzlies play.....and AutoZone Park where the Memphis Redbirds play.

Then we headed over to Mud Island to see the Mississippi River Museum. We got to ride on the monorail. (This is the monorail that we watched from our hotel room during the day.) I thought the museum was just OK but Kim loved it. She enjoyed the displays of old coins, Civil War memorabilia and such. The best part of the museum was the display of the birth of the blues music, soul music and rock and roll here in Memphis. What wonderful songs they played....and fun photos from the 1920's through the 1950's.

Outside they had a scale replica of the Mississippi River which was neat.....it's amazing how much the river twists and turns.

Then we decided we'd had enough for one day....and headed back to the hotel to relax.

Random Thoughts/Observations about our time in Memphis:

1. There IS such a thing as Southern Hospitality. Everywhere we go....the people are very nice....big smiles and a genuine concern for our comfort and well being.

2. When driving in downtown Memphis...LOOK OUT FOR TROLLEYS! Since I'm not used to sharing a roadway with trolleys.....I was a little nervous....but it all worked out OK.

3. There is more to do in Memphis than just Graceland. There are blues clubs, professional sports, museums and great shopping.

4. There are a lot of people evacuated from Hurricane Katrina here....Kim and I ran into a single mom with 2 little girls today. As we enjoyed our time as tourists....she was filling out forms to register her girls for school here in Memphis....she looked overwhelmed and shell shocked. She didn't know how long she'd be in Memphis.....nor what was going to happen next. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

We will be leaving tomorrow morning for Oklahoma City to spend time with Kim's son. We will be driving all day through Arkansas along I-40 West. We don't know what to expect....but will definately post our experiences in a day or two.

Stay Tuned......

---

Photos

6:30 am
Kim enjoys her morning cup of coffee overlooking the Mississippi River and downtown Memphis.

Civil Rights Museum
The memorial and wreath marking the hotel balcony where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated.

BB King Portrait
Painting of BB King inside his club...notice the guitar is real.

Bar at BB King's Blues Club
This is the bar at the club. They had interesting drink names...such as Wang Dang Doodle and Boogie Woogie.

Mud Island Monorail
Here is the view from the front of the Mud Island monorail car.

Mississippi River Model
Overhead view of part of the model.