Day 2: Moving, Memphis, & More!

  After a night at a HORRIBLE hotel (it all smelled like paint thinner) just outside of Memphis, we drove into downtown Memphis for part of the day. The plan was to EXPLORE - maybe go to Sun Studio and def. visit Beale Street and the historic district and get some good bbq.
  We parked by this baseball stadium.

 There was a little construction.

Looking down a street packed with musical history:

 Yes, Beale Street!

 
Oh, the history here... the famous people that have been here!

Yes, BB King. That King.

This is a VERY old drug store.

  Among another place for some gator gumbo that was actually pretty gross, we did try the bbq at this Pig place. It was ok. It was NO Ziffels. (once you go there fore ribs in Fort Wayne, IN, you will be "ruined" for bbq ribs forevermore)

Music on the sidewalk...

 We like BB King. This street was actually pretty deserted, but it was a Tuesday in the spring.

  I liked these lanterns.

 Then we found a little old diner.

 Yes, good food - shakes - burgers. I was happy NOT to have diet restrictions this day.

Even the ceiling was pretty. Reminded me of an old building in downtown Columbia, SC.

Hannah & Eric - enjoying lunch together at the diner.

The main attraction here was DEEP FRIED Peanut Butter & Jelly. Yes, really. We were surprised that it didn't include bananas. (come on, we were in Memphis!) It was pretty good.

Eric checks out this food:

Bon appetit!

Downtown Memphis, looking at the nice landscaping...

 Yes, THAT Gibson factory... where they make a few guitars.

 Then we drove over to Sun Studio...

 Yes, THAT Sun Studio! The "birthplace of Rock 'n Roll!" Home to the "Million Dollar Quartet"...
706 Union Avenue in Memphis, TN. This was originally opened by rock pioneer Sam Phillips in 1950 and called the Memphis Recording Service. We walked around, but didn't take the full tour this time. (I think I already did that, a "few" years ago.) In the early 1950s, some of the GREAT Blues and R&B artists recorded here - Little Milton, James Cotton, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Parker, BB King, Rufus Thomas, and more. Then came the other rock & roll and country music legends - Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Warren Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis...

 Eric, standing in front of Sun Studios:

I liked this sky/guitar shot:

 Driving around downtown, Memphis, TN.

 Oh, the things you can see:

 We both noticed this pyramid building.

Thinking musically, just could almost see musical legends crossing this cross walk, maybe for a cd cover.

 There was a place on the corner of Beale St. that offered gator gumbo. It was GROSS. However, we liked the guitars hung about the room.

 Guitars and Stax.

Looking through the grass into an open courtyard. Yes, the sign says to "Beware" of "Irish Diving Goats". Hmmm.

 Lunch at the Pig place - bbq with cole slaw on the sandwich. It was OK. We expected more from Memphis.

 "Walk'n in Memphis..." (Oh, yes, I did.)

 As we prepared to leave Memphis, we saw this cool bridge. Then it was onto Arkansas! Our destination for this 2nd day was Searcy, AR, where we had a "friend of a friend" who was kind enough to offer us lodging for the night.

 Here we go/went:

Across the bridge!

 Yes, I like bridges the same way I like trees. Ha.
   We went to our new friend's house where they served us excellent food with even better conversation. We also got to get some good sleep before heading on to Little Rock the next day. We were VERY THANKFUL for both lodging and new friends. Hooray!