ROAD TRIP
Oh Graceland, you had me at “Jungle Room”.
As I mentioned before, I am not a huge Elvis fan. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with the guy but you won’t find me sitting around listening to “Ya Ain’t Nothin” But A Hound Dog” on a Friday night.
Let’s just say that visiting Graceland was something I never thought I would get around to in this lifetime.
But then when Rachel and I were planning the road trip we made the big decision- we were going to Graceland! We decided you can’t go to Memphis on an American road trip and not make a stop at the King’s house! It would be an American sin.
Once the decision was made I actually started to get strangely excited about going! It all seemed so silly to me and saying the sentence “I am going to Graceland!” seemed as strange as saying “I am going to the moon!”
Neither one made much sense.
But then, there I was on day 12 of my road trip standing in line (with audio tour headphones on no less) waiting to board a bus to Graceland. What had the world come to?
I am pretty sure pigs can fly now too.
Touring Graceland was a funny experience- it certainly brings out an interesting crowd (I’ll just leave it at that)! We were funneled through the rooms (getting a few minutes in each), I couldn’t hear a thing on my audio tour headphones (I kept asking if they were broken) and when I did hear something it was usually telling me about a room I wasn’t in.
Most of the time I just walked around aimlessly taking it all in- it’s such a crazy place! Each room more visually stimulating then the next.
The whole experience left me in awe of the king- he was such a creative, sexy, talented and passionate man!
Some of my favorite things about Graceland….
(This carpet)
(The peacock stained glass in the living room)
(Um…everything about the jungle room including the panda)
(this Elvis portrait)
(well hello there strange little white monkey)
(The meditation garden where Elvis is buried)
(His groovy suits)
(this picture)
Alright, alright…I’m kinda an Elvis fan now….
………
To see Rachel’s blog click here!
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Loving your photos – thanks for sharing! Have a Great Weekend!
Dear Kate,I really enjoyed your Graceland visit through your picture.l just came back from Las Vegas,where l saw an Elvis impersonator at the Hilton Hotel,l wasn’t impressed ,but he reminded me of Elvis the king’s high days.Thank you for your beautiful blog.Best regards.J MICHAEL SABBAGH
J Michael,
Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog! I’m so happy to have you as a reader! I haven’t been to Vegas in the longest time but I do remember loving the Elvis impersonators!
My parents were crazy about Elvis, so I grew up with his music. Last year I showed a video of him singing Hound Dog to my fifth graders. The girls went nuts! The man certainly oozed sex appeal. Easy to see why he was banned from the waist down on TV!
I love this story!!!! 5th grade girls going nuts for Elvis! Too cute:)
Even better, all three classes of 5th graders LOVED the song Take Me Home, Country Roads. These kids were tough, inner city preteens who listened to rap and hip hop and knew way more about sex and drugs than I did in fifth grade. Somehow, that John Denver song touched them all. They even sang it for the parents at a PTA meeting!
Seriously?!?! That’s incredible!!!
Elvis wanted to be on the cutting edge of tech, had the earliest mobile phone, multi-A/V room, customized jets, etc. Cool to see, but sad at the same time that his home is forever trapped in the 1970’s.
Did you spring for the extra $$ to tour the jets? They were really cool. Say what you want about the man, he lived a big life.
It’s not a part of Memphis that would draw me, but if I were in a kitschy mood, it might happen.
now when you get home you’ll have to find the movie ‘love me tender’…
David in Maine USA