We got an early start this morning because we wanted to catch a tour of Memphis first thing in the morning. We were to meet the tour guide at BB King's Blues Club & Grill, which is a trip in itself! As we waited for the tour guide to show up, we wandered out on Beale Street (the main blues club row in Memphis) to look around and take a few pictures.



After checking in for the tour, we boarded a shuttle van with our guide, Kathy. She took us through the city, showing us old mansions and homes that had been restored to their former glory. Then at the right time, the van driver and guide dropped us off at the Peabody Hotel, where at 11:00 sharp 5 Mallard ducks march out of the elevator and into the lobby fountain. Click on the video and read the story behind the world-famous ducks!



The van had let us off right in front of Lansky's Clothiers - established in 1947. This clothier has come to be known as the clothier of the rich and famous ~ selling suits and "outfits" to people like Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, and Issac Hayes. Here are some of the suits in the windows. As we toured the city, Kathy pointed out to us a bridge that the people of Memphis have dubbed "The Dolly Parton Bridge".



One of the last stops in Memphis was at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. It was a very sobering tour, as everything is exactly as it was on the day he was assassinated ~ his car in the parking lot (all other cars had been removed). A wreath on the door of his motel room, he was shot on the second story balcony. At a speech in support of striking sanitation workers, King seemed to prophecy his own death with these words:
“I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”



We toured the Rock & Soul Museum. It was interesting to see the evolution of rock music and soul music and the musicians involved in both genres.



On the way into Memphis, we saw a large pyramid, much like the one in Long Beach where the CSULB basketball team plays. As we drove up, we saw that it had been taken over by Bass Pro Shop. The inside was fabulous! It was a hotel on the second and third floor. On the main floor, there was a restaurant, the hotel lobby and a HUGE Bass Pro Shop. That included a lake with fishing boats and pontoon boats floating. The lake was stocked with huge fish - every type of fish that you would expect to find east of the Mississippi....and they were not little fingerlings either. My mouth watered thinking of all the sushi they would make!!!



Our last stop before heading back to the campground was the Gibson Guitar Factory. It was really fascinating how long it takes to "build" a guitar. There are 2 tracks - the ones that are ordered by musicians and stars, and the second is the one that will go out for retail. I know two friends of mine who work on guitars will be green with envy....so we took plenty of pictures. The Gibson store inside the factory is a "candy store" for musicians!