Farewell Memphis, you gorgeous vibrant city!
I don't care how much construction we saw on our little coach tour before boarding American Cruise Lines "Melody", what I saw was not an eyesore, but the largest city on the Mississippi(I always thought St. Louis was) ..a city with music, medicine, and heart.
If Beale Street could talk, it would say, firstly, "yes..that impossible to please Karen Amster was totally on board with Regina King's Oscar win for a movie with the same name," and secondly, it would say, "told ya' Karen..this is a GREAT city!"
Our guide told us she has to rely on lip reading because she's horribly hard of hearing, but apparently not as impaired as I am because I heard her name as "anally" when in fact, it's Anna Lee.
One can never presume anything in an era where kids are named Apple and Moxie Crimefighter.
Our first stop was Sun Studio, the musical birthplace of Elvis, home of the Million Dollar Quartet. The museum wasn't open for the day yet, but we felt like we were inside in spirit, with many passengers posing for photo ops in front of the iconic guitar that gives the building instant recognition.
Anna Lee pointed out St. Judes Hospital, an important Memphis landmark that made me realize there's a lot more to the late Danny Thomas than his love for Baba Ganoush.
I see PSAs for St. Judes before virtually every movie I see in the theater, but this time, thanks to Anna Lee's informative talk, it really sunk in how worthwhile a donation to this place is.
It's bad enough when a parent has to hear that a child has a devastating illness: paper work and financial issues should be the last thing on their minds, and thanks to St. Judes, it is.
It costs three million dollars daily to run it, and it exists soley on donations. Doctors and nurses are trained here before heading out to other St. Judes throughout the country, but it is in Memphis where they develop their skills and learn to realize how precious every life is. I welled up when Anna Lee told us about two children with cancer who met here-- grew up, fell in love, and got married, to live healthfully and happily ever after.
Our next stop was haunting: The old Lorraine Hotel, the site where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. The balcony looked so real that I actually felt Dr. King's presence.
Anna Lee talked about his assassin, James Earl Ray, and how he is now part of what has eventually replaced the hotel, the Civil Rights Museum. The ground felt positively sacred as we walked up a slight incline, covered with plaques from religious leaders of all denominations. (My cousin Martin, a cantor, heard a rabbi once compare this area to the Wailing Wall.)
It was a daunting experience, and Anna Lee told us about the one person who refused to leave after the hotel was converted to a woman's shelter before becoming the Civil Rights Museum it is today.
Her name is Jackie, in the red jacket that she wears daily when she comes out to speak to tourists. At first, I thought it was just awful that she was protesting the building of a Civil Rights Museum--for over thirty-five years--until we heard her side of the story. She felt that MLK would have wanted it to stay a shelter for battered women, and I guess I saw her point. Still..she should have relocated to another safe location when others did--the Civil Rights Museum is an important part of all our history.
The next stop was a little bit lighter..and one I was familar with, but Jim was not.
We entered the very posh and very famous Peabody Hotel, where our timing was perfect as we grabbed a great viewing area from the mezzanine to watch the famous March of the Ducks, which is a twice daily occurrence at this hotel. There is a hilarious backstory that you can look up, but the ducks really do parade on the red carpet, briefly swim in the ornate fountain in the lobby, and then head back to their two thousand dollar penthouse where they're treated like royalty.
Our last stop was to a gigantic pyramid shaped building that used to be the home of the NBA team in Memphis, and now is a gift shop..with live alligators and catfish.
I really fell in love with the city and all its Southern charm, from the minute we landed at the beautiful , state-of-the art airport until we boarded the river boat that we're now enjoying.
The stateroom is huge..there's enough storage if you packed for six months, which I pretty much did. There is a scent of citrus and disinfectant, which makes me feel exceptionally clean.
The staff is catering to our every whim..I'm impressed with everyone so far. Jim and I sat at our own table for lunch(the ship has only 76 passengers this week, about half of its capacity) so I'm sure I'll meet everyone and have plenty of things to say, but today, Jim and I just wanted to enjoy each other's company in a bright and airy dining room that was beautifully decorated.
We're sailing, and I keep hearing Tina Turner in my head, singing multiple choruses of "rolling down the river" and when I want to tune her out, I think of Paul Robson, singing "Old Man River" in a voice that only angels could imitate.
I'll detail the excursions as they happen--we're in for a relaxing but fun week!
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