I arrived in Memphis around 3:30 pm. I thought the rain was easing as I approached the city, but sure enough, it got worse as soon as I needed to start reading road signs.
My hotel is right next to the Mississippi, and I have a good view of it from my 14 th floor window.
I walked the six blocks or to Beale St., which is the city’s smaller version of the French Quarter. I was early, and there weren’t many people out. I had ribs at B.B. King’s Blues Cafe. Very tasty, but the cole slaw and baked beans were pedestrian.
I ran into four different panhandlers … Maybe that’s something I should try!
In the morning, I took a walk along the river, packed up and headed to Graceland. The mansion was smaller than you might think and along a busy four-lane road. The coolest room in the house was the billiards room — the walls and ceiling were covered in colorful fabric that was pleated like curtains.
It wasn’t crowded, so it was a good day for a leisurely tour.
