Memphis Home of the Blues

Yesterday morning we headed out on a 7 hour excursion with City Line Blues Tours, to take in all the sites and sounds of Memphis.
Our first stop on the tour is at the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis and is the home of the world famous marching ducks. They told us that these ducks are pretty quick on the red carpet so if you want a picture you have to be fast.

Well apparently I'am not fast enough on the camera button as you can see in the picture above, but trust me they did go by. Fortunately someone else got the shot in the picture below.

                              

                         At the end of the carpet they jump in the fountain for a swim.

Next stop Sun Studio's home of many recording legends like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison just to name a few.

In the Sun Studios cafe the stools in the pictures below all have famous names engraved on them.

   Can you guess which stool Nola is sitting on in the picture below?

    Well if you guessed Elvis you win the prize to be named some time later in the Blog.

This bridge joins Tennessee and Arkansas crossing the Mississippi River and is nick named the Dolly Parton bridge, "I'am not sure why". Maybe someone can figure it out for me and post it in comments!!

                                              Elvis status at the visitor center

A few fellow tourist having lunch with us B.B. King's Restaurant & Bar on Beale Street. Hanna's the dude in the checkered shirt sitting next to Nola traveled all the way from Sweden to see Graceland, wow now that's a fan.

                              Nola with the Godfather of Blues 91 years young Clyde Hopkins

Clyde,s brass note of fame embedded in the sidewalk on Beale Street along with about 90 others like Elvis just to name one.


After a great lunch at B.B. King's we were off to Graceland for the last half of our tour. This is the part of the day Nola has been waiting  36 years for, so I guess you could say she has been pretty patient. Below are several pictures of our tour. 

                                                                        Graceland

This was a great day and ended with our tour guide dropping us off at our RV park in Robinsonville just outside Memphis.
Well it's that time I better get going here so remember "keep your stick on the ice" talk to y'all  later.

New Orleans Part 2

We sure had a great time in the Big Easy even a trip to the the city of the dead proved to be pretty interesting.

This believe it or not, is the future tomb for Nickolas Cage he purchased a few years ago

We wrapped the week up by spending all day Friday at the French Quarter Music Festival that runs from the 12th to the 14th. Wow what a great venue with 21 different stages throughout the Quarter and over 50 bands preforming all different types of music. 

Shuttle's into the French Quarter from designated parking lots were provided as driving was limited with an expected 500 thousand people expected to attend over the 4 days.

Of coarse Nola was in her glory with her name just about everywhere you go as NOLA is used for the short form for New Orleans LA

                                    Some of the crowd at one of the many stages

We had lunch at Pat Obrien's and thought we would start out with there famous drink called a Hurricane

                                                   Just out side the restaurant on Bourbon Street

Well we left New Orleans this morning and we are now just outside of Memphis Tennessee were we plan to stay for a week and take in some of the sites like Grace Land.

Okay I got to get going here and remember above all else "keep your stick on the ice" talk to you later.

The Big Easy

New Orleans or as they say the Big Easy. We have arrived woohoo it's party time! Our RV park is only about a 10 minute drive from the French Quarters and of coarse that's were we are headed this morning to see just what all this commotion is about. Wow it hard to explain if you haven't been here before how different and exciting it is.
We decided to take a bus tour through several districts of the city so we could get some ideas on were we would like to return to for a closer look throughout the week.

                                    No contrary to what you might think that's not me with Nola

Here are some pictures of our tour in the Garden District of New Orleans. These Century home's are unbelievable.

                                 One of the many carriage rides available from the Jackson Square                                            

                                               This home has corn cobs scriptural fencing     

                                           

                                              This home was once owned y the novelist Ann Rice

                                                 Nola with Nancy our tour guide

                                                         The Manning family home

Sandra Bullock's home

                                                                       John Goodman's home


After the Garden District tour we went for super at Chartres House Restaurant on Toulouse Street inside the French Quarter 

Up on the second level deck overlooking the street we had a great dinner of Cajun Chicken, Jambalaya, Chicken Gumbo, and Crawfish it was fabulous. 


Well that's it for tonight guy and girls"what a great day' I'll keep you posted and of coarse to remember to "keep your stick on the ice" talk to you later