June 17, 2016

June 17, 2016

This is our third visit to Memphis.  We have been to most of the tourists sites except for the big one, Graceland.  Each time I debate whether to spend the small fortune to tour the rather small mansion of Elvis Presley.  I am not as enamored with the King like many of my fellow baby boomers, perhaps I am a touch too young.  Aimee and I have toured innumerable old houses, few of which I have found worth a steep entry fee.  When I recently learned of the cheapskate tour, I was hooked.  

We made the ten minute drive from downtown to Graceland early this morning.  There is free parking for a few lucky ones right outside the gate.  Graffiti to the king completely covers the grounds' wall.  At precisely 7:30 a.m., the gate opens and a dozen of us walk up to the mansion for the first photo op.  As we skirt the outside of the house and swimming pool we arrive in the Meditation Garden that contains Elvis’ grave and eternal flame.  Buried next to him are his parents, grandmother, and stillborn twin brother. Elvis died almost 39 years ago at the tender age of 42.

From Memphis, we drive southwest crossing the state of Arkansas.  We stop in the town of Hope, AR to stretch our legs and visit President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site.  Wow, that is a mouthful that barely fits on the sign.  We have been here before but the home has been added to the National Park System, so we thought we would stop for the interior tour.  Unfortunately I am reminded they had an arson incident a few months ago and the house is closed for repairs.  Instead we browse the handful of displays and take a couple photos of the tiny house through the windows.

From Hope we cross the border into Texas and eventually into the outskirts of Dallas. We stop at Southfork Ranch, home of TV’s JR Ewing just in time for the last tour of the day.  When we learn that the museum closes in five minutes we pass on the excursion and instead opt for the iconic TV photo.  Aimee and I were both big fans of the Dallas TV show.  Southfork was the set of the exterior but the interiors were all a soundstage in Hollywood.  The privately owned complex is now a business conference center and tourist mecca with an unbelievably large gift shop.

For dinner we met up  with a childhood friend of Aimee's who now lives in Dallas.  Aimee and I shared a delicious Texas BBQ brisket meal. Aimee and her friend talked up a storm for the next several hours.