Arrived at Memphis Amtrak station at 06h30 and took a taxi to our hotel where we were lucky to be able to check in early. Took the trolley car (tram) to downtown Memphis (about 1Km from out hotel) and headed straight for the famous Beale Street.
After lunch took a City Tour which includes a drive by of Graceland, stops at Sun Records where Elvis & Jerry Lee Lewis and many others got their first record deals, another stop at Beale St and some of the older Victorian buildings of downtown Memphis. St Judes Childrens Hospital, the Memphis Pyramid and the famous Peabody Ducks. Every days for the past 77 years, the Peabody ducks who live on the penthouse floor of the famous Peabody Hotel, come down the lift at 11am and walk across a red carpet to the fountain in the hotel lobby/lounge where they swim and play until 5pm when they are ushered out and cross the red carpet again to the lift and back up to the penthouse. They are bred on a farm specifically for this purpose and they spend 3 month in the hotel until they are exchanged for new ducks !! They are then retired to the farm to spend the rest of their days. No duck is available on the Peabody Menu :-)
Went down to Beale St after dark for dinner and to see the weekly bikers parade. Beale St is alive with bars and clubs with awesome live music everywhere. Drinking is allowed on the streets and you are allowed to take your drinks into any of the bars or clubs along the street. Most of them have live Blues bands playing and there is no covert charge. Saw some amazing blues players and Michelle didn't want to leave when it was time to get the last trolley tram home at 11pm !!! The street stays alive until 3am every night and most bars/clubs only close about 5am. Tomorrow we are going back for more !!!!
Beale Str looks like it has an amazing vibe and so colourful with all the lights, etc. at night.
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