Having done a loop on the trolley yesterday we had decided to go to the National Civil Rights Museum and the Bass Pro Shops.

We started the day, of course, with tea in the room and then down to breakfast. I do like having breakfast included in the room rate even though it's never a high quality restaurant type cooked breakfast it's lovely to at least be able to eat something before heading out.... I'm one of those people that just feels sick if I don't eat breakfast whereas Rodd can go til lunchtime without food, weird!!

Straight onto the trolley which dropped us off right outside the National Civil Rights Museum. This is located in the Lorraine Motel which is the site where Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4th 1968, aged 39 years...... that really surprised both of us, we had no idea he was so young and yet he had made such an impact in his short years. 

 It is not just about Martin Luther King though but the story of African Americans from the time of slavery to today. There's a display dedicated to Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin who were arrested for not giving up their bus seats for white people.... ridiculous!! I spent a lot of the time we were there shaking my head in disbelief that humans could be so ignorant in their treatment of other human beings. I don't know why I'm surprised, there's still awful, barbaric customs in the world today but to believe that they aren't even humans because of skin colour is just so unbelievably arrogant and ignorant it is incomprehensible! 

This is an absolute MUST DO for anyone visiting Memphis. If you have to pick one thing definitely pick this..... yes even over Graceland!!! Wow.... did I just say that?? Yes, yes I did... this is the best $15 you'll spend in Memphis. We went in thinking "we'll tick it off the list, quick stop and it's done" but we ended up spending hours and hours there and still didn't really finish it off as it deserved because it was after midday and I was starving. 

We both decided pizza would be nice so I jumped on my trusty iPhone and found a good looking place so we headed off to eat...... unfortunately when we got to where google said the shop was it was there, but closed. We had walked past this hole in the wall place on our way to the wrestling last night but I hadn't really taken much notice of it. So Plan B was the next place on the list Aldos..... just a couple of blocks walk and before we knew it we were sitting looking at the menu. It was very yummy and I'd definitely eat here again if I had the chance. 

By the time we'd finished eating it was almost time for my pre-tattoo consultation appointment so we headed back to the room to drop our purchases and leftover pizza. Not really time for a nanny nap so straight downstairs to order a taxi to take us to "the corner of Madison and North Tucker", the taxi driver said he didn't know that street and I ( mentally rolling eyes ) tried to explain where it was by saying "you know it's got Huey's on the corner" to which he replied "ohhhhh Tuckerrrrr" ........ yep that's what I said!!! and once again the Aussie accent confuses them! 

We had to wait a bit for Al, my tattoo guy, to come out and when he did it was a quick chat, me emailing him the pic I had of my Mums drawing, a handshake, $50 deposit and a "see you tomorrow at 4"!! Then a 10 minute wait out the front in the freezing wind for the taxi and back to the hotel for a quick rest before the night activities begin. 

Off to the Bass Pro shop @ the Pyramid. Cross the road and hop on the trolley... that $20 we slipped into the machine is really paying off!! The Bass Pro is only about 5 minutes on the trolley from our Hotel and once again the driver was super friendly and helpful letting us know what time the last pick up was outside the shop and where to go to get the Main Street Trolley if we missed the Riverfront one. 

Once inside we had a quick look around the shop, they sell everything from clothing to toys to fishing gear to boats, then we paid the $10 to get in the elevator up to the restaurant/bar/observation deck. We thought $10 was a little steep but the girl in the elevator (how do you get that job?) told us it is super maintained and they check it 3 times a day so we we're feeling very safe riding in the tallest free standing elevator in America going up 28 stories or 320 ft..... all with glass sides which makes for an interesting toe tingling ride!! 

First thing we did at the top was head outside to the observation deck with the glass floor.... ugh! Rodd walked straight out onto it but I was a little wary and only just gingerly stepped out onto the solid beam then quickly back on solid ground! Time for a drink at the gorgeous bar, we just loved the big fish tank in the middle with a crazy catfish that seemed to be trying to communicate with me as he just kept pressing his nose up against the tank and staring at me! After we finished our drinks Rodd suggested we have another look at the view from that glass floor and with a glass of red to give me courage I managed to get all the way out over that floor to the edge!

Time to get back to earth so back down in that awesome lift we went, a quick wander around the shop and outside just in time to jump on the last Riverside Trolley for the night. Getting on at Bass Pro you have to do most of the loop before getting to Beale Street but it takes less than 20 minutes so in no time we were wandering along Beale Street looking for somewhere for a drink before bed. There was music blaring from every establishment but we know we'll be enjoying all the great music once the Arkansas gang arrive tomorrow so we found a quietish bar for a drink, or two, and headed back up to the Trolley stop homeward bound. 

We must have jumped off the trolley to buy drinks somewhere along the line cos I have a photo of Rodd at the Trolley stop with our purchases!! I do try to take pics as much as possible so I know where I've been! While we were waiting for the trolley to come to take us home a car came driving along the mall, ummmm cars aren't allowed down here ... bloody tourists!! Haha.