Friday, August 31, 2007
And time for a little bit of country...
Saturday Fleur and I sadly headed back to Nashville for my last night in the US of A. We stayed at the Gaylord Opry - an absolutely enormous hotel which apparently is similar to the ones in Las Vegas. It came complete with a river inside of it, (with its own little boat...), and huge gardens - all inside. It was handily situated very close to the Grand Old Opry and Opryland Mall - where I managed to spend a few more of my hard earned pennies before we headed off to the show :-).
Gaylord Opry Hotel
Gaylord Opry Hotel (1)
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
This is all inside - all under the roof of the Atrium.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday afternoon - time for a new state!
So on Monday afternoon my friend Fleur drove up from Bowling Green, Kentucky to pick me up. We had very vague plans - just that she would pick me up between 4.30 - 5.00 at the Museum. Fortunately it did all work and we found each other!
And so began a fab 5 days where I just hung out with Fleur, David, James and Alice. It was just lovely - bit of shopping, bit of sightseeing, lots of drinking coffee and chewing the fat - what more could you want from a holiday! Particular highlight was going to Glasgow, Kentucky (gave us much amusement!).
On Tuesday I went with Fleur to one of her bookgroups - the book was The Case of the Missing Books, and pretty universally was panned by everyone. So that isn't a recommendation from me!
Fleur and David were fantastic hosts, and it was lovely to finally meet her children! I'd seen Fleur when she was pregnant with James, but never met him until now!
And now Fleur is also blogging :-).
And so began a fab 5 days where I just hung out with Fleur, David, James and Alice. It was just lovely - bit of shopping, bit of sightseeing, lots of drinking coffee and chewing the fat - what more could you want from a holiday! Particular highlight was going to Glasgow, Kentucky (gave us much amusement!).
On Tuesday I went with Fleur to one of her bookgroups - the book was The Case of the Missing Books, and pretty universally was panned by everyone. So that isn't a recommendation from me!
Fleur and David were fantastic hosts, and it was lovely to finally meet her children! I'd seen Fleur when she was pregnant with James, but never met him until now!
And now Fleur is also blogging :-).
Fleur highland dancing in Glasgow (Kentucky)
Fleur highland dancing in Glasgow (Kentucky) (2)
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
Fleur bravely dancing in Glasgow...!!
Fleur and Alice in Bowling Green
Fleur and Alice in Bowling Green
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
Fleur and Alice - Alice wearing her new pink dress, bought on one of our shopping trips!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Bus travel US style...
On Monday morning it was up bright and early to catch my first every Greyhound bus from Memphis to Nashville.
They have a 'first come first served' approach so somewhat predictably I was worried about not getting on the bus! Being second in the queue meant I didn't have any worries on that score! But it was pretty full by the time we pulled out. Somewhat amazingly we were 40 minutes late leaving as we had waited for a connecting service to come in - not something I recall them doing in NZ!
Best bit though was sitting at the bus station in Jackson, listening to Johnny and June Cash singing Jackson :-).
Four hours later and I was in Nashville - home of country music!
They have a 'first come first served' approach so somewhat predictably I was worried about not getting on the bus! Being second in the queue meant I didn't have any worries on that score! But it was pretty full by the time we pulled out. Somewhat amazingly we were 40 minutes late leaving as we had waited for a connecting service to come in - not something I recall them doing in NZ!
Best bit though was sitting at the bus station in Jackson, listening to Johnny and June Cash singing Jackson :-).
Four hours later and I was in Nashville - home of country music!
Sing Me Back Home...
Monday afternoon was spent at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - fortunately located just down the road from the bus station!
Very different from the Memphis music stories, but really interesting - lots of Johnny Cash stuff which was cool. And the Hall of Fame was really interesting to see who had made it. Nothing about alt-country tho - no Wilco or anything like that! Thats not country!! Sadly this museum didn't have quite as much music to listen to as the others I'd been to, so at times it seemed a bit static, but it was still so interesting.
Very different from the Memphis music stories, but really interesting - lots of Johnny Cash stuff which was cool. And the Hall of Fame was really interesting to see who had made it. Nothing about alt-country tho - no Wilco or anything like that! Thats not country!! Sadly this museum didn't have quite as much music to listen to as the others I'd been to, so at times it seemed a bit static, but it was still so interesting.
Sing me back home
Sing me back home
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
The start of the journey through country music...
Sunday, August 26, 2007
History of a different sort...
Sunday was a much slower day than Saturday - Memphis doesn't really get going early on a Sunday! I wandered around for a while but it was sooooo hot I just went and found airconditioned places that I could cool down in!
I had my second breakfast at the Arcade Restaurant - very hobbit like but it was worth it! A quintessential American cafe - where the waitress called me honey and walked around with a coffee pot topping everyone up - brilliant!
Then it was off to the National Civil Rights Museum, housed in what was the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luthor King was assassinated. Very very good - but very very dense. There was just so much to read I couldn't take it all in. I was in there at 1.45 and had to be down at the ferry by 5pm and I didn't get through it all. And then to find out at the end that the 'second half' of the museum was over the road! I just couldn't take any more in at that point - I'll have to go back another time and finish it :-).
Very moving though to be where MLK was killed, and to realise just how Memphis was really in the middle of the civil rights movement. And to have reinforced yet again just how the music was so intertwined in it all as well.
I had my second breakfast at the Arcade Restaurant - very hobbit like but it was worth it! A quintessential American cafe - where the waitress called me honey and walked around with a coffee pot topping everyone up - brilliant!
Then it was off to the National Civil Rights Museum, housed in what was the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luthor King was assassinated. Very very good - but very very dense. There was just so much to read I couldn't take it all in. I was in there at 1.45 and had to be down at the ferry by 5pm and I didn't get through it all. And then to find out at the end that the 'second half' of the museum was over the road! I just couldn't take any more in at that point - I'll have to go back another time and finish it :-).
Very moving though to be where MLK was killed, and to realise just how Memphis was really in the middle of the civil rights movement. And to have reinforced yet again just how the music was so intertwined in it all as well.
The Mighty Mississippi
Couldn't not go to Memphis and not go on the mighty Mississippi!! And on a paddle steamer of course :-).
Interesting tour guide - it would be fair to say he was on the right side of conservative... A few quite extreme statements made - especially about hard labour and the 'non' rights of criminals, and how perhaps hard labour should be brought back in... He ended the talk with the incredibly graphic retelling of the story of the Sultana tragedy - complete with descriptions of body parts floating in the river, blood and gore etc etc... Made it all a bit more entertaining!
There were also lots of dead fish around where the boats were parked up - apparently due to the lack of oxygen in the water... I wasn't convinced.
Interesting tour guide - it would be fair to say he was on the right side of conservative... A few quite extreme statements made - especially about hard labour and the 'non' rights of criminals, and how perhaps hard labour should be brought back in... He ended the talk with the incredibly graphic retelling of the story of the Sultana tragedy - complete with descriptions of body parts floating in the river, blood and gore etc etc... Made it all a bit more entertaining!
There were also lots of dead fish around where the boats were parked up - apparently due to the lack of oxygen in the water... I wasn't convinced.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
First stop - Gracelands!
Saturday started off with a stroll down to the Memphis Rock'N'Soul Museum to get their free shuttle out to Gracelands...
Which actually wasn't as over-the-top as I was expecting. Given the excesses of the life styles of the rich and famous today, the house and the decor on the whole seemed pretty low key. I did like the Jungle Room tho - its not everyone who has green shagpile carpet on their ceiling!! Plus the gold seatbelts in the Lisa Marie were a nice touch as well...
Most fascinating was the floral tributes to The King - I was there a week after 'Elvis Week' so there were still loads from all over the world. Just amazing to see them all. It was relatively quiet there tho - I did hear stories of people queuing for 48 hours the previous week to ensure they could walk past the grave on the actual anniversary of his death...
There was also some fantastic tat in the gift shops as well!! I managed to restrain myself (just...). I was really tempted my a t-shirt that read 'Elvis has left the building' but they didn't have any nice girly ones...
Which actually wasn't as over-the-top as I was expecting. Given the excesses of the life styles of the rich and famous today, the house and the decor on the whole seemed pretty low key. I did like the Jungle Room tho - its not everyone who has green shagpile carpet on their ceiling!! Plus the gold seatbelts in the Lisa Marie were a nice touch as well...
Most fascinating was the floral tributes to The King - I was there a week after 'Elvis Week' so there were still loads from all over the world. Just amazing to see them all. It was relatively quiet there tho - I did hear stories of people queuing for 48 hours the previous week to ensure they could walk past the grave on the actual anniversary of his death...
There was also some fantastic tat in the gift shops as well!! I managed to restrain myself (just...). I was really tempted my a t-shirt that read 'Elvis has left the building' but they didn't have any nice girly ones...
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