The morning didn't begin all that early for us since we had a nice room and not a full agenda. When we did finally check out of our room and check our luggage in to storage at the hotel, we decided to just walk down Main Street instead of taking the trolley. We started out, and before long passed the Occupy Memphis movement. We headed down the brick street that had only two trolley lanes in between some beautiful old (at least old looking) buildings. I stopped right past a park to take a picture of one said building.
Around the corner at that moment came an older gentleman walking with his cane. As I have found with many southerners, he was incredibly friendly and asked if I was visiting. So, I talked with him, where I was from, how long I was there, etc. I told him we were looking for a breakfast place and if he had any recommendations. He told us about a cafe nearby but then said we really should go to Arcade Cafe, which is at the end of the trolley line on Main Street. It's the oldest and they have a good breakfast. I then asked his opinion on BBQ for the evening time, and he said Blues City Cafe (where we had eaten the previous night) was good and listed a couple others.
At this point another man came out of a building, who our friend happened to know. He introduced us and asked him his opinion on BBQ. With our limited transportation, he also agreed on Blues City Cafe, saying the ribs fell off the bones usually. The man was very congenial too, and gave a few compliments of our new friend, the elderly gentleman. After he left, the elderly gentleman told us he could show us one of the best views in town. He was so great and friendly, that we followed him a few buildings down the street and he punched a code into his apartment building to let us in. By this point, we had discovered he was retired from the navy, which was what had brought him to Memphis many years ago. He had taught in the military. His wife had passed away, but he had met her in Memphis years ago and they had children together. He had just walked back from his Episcopalian Church that morning, loved living there because he could get to his dentist, his bank, etc. all on that street. He said they were all friendly here on Main St. USA.
The apartment building was very nice. He had bought land and lived on it for many years, but then he sold it a few years back when he couldn't get around well anymore and moved into his apartment building. Normally I would never enter a building with a strange man I had just met, but he was clearly no younger than his late 70's at least and Katrina was with me. A random person had complimented him and we were still in a public location (for those of you that might worry about me). Plus, I was carrying pepper spray (haha).
We stepped into the elevator, after he greeted another person, and he used his cane to press S (for the skyview). Let me just say again how lovely of an apartment building this was. We walked out of the elevator, and immediately we were faced with a beautiful small rooftop flower garden. There were chairs spread out on top the roof and he told us that they throw parties up there for the residents monthly. There were a few people up on the roof enjoying the morning, to which he also seemed to know. He was right, the view was spectacular. We could see out over the city of Memphis and it's downtown with all the impressive buildings and then over the Mississippi River across into the green fields and trees of Arkansas. The sky was that perfect blue with white clouds stretching out across it.
We took pictures, chatted a little more, we told him we were teachers of history (well, Katrina was now an assistant principal), which he really liked. He walked us back into the elevator, pushed the button for the bottom floor and walked us out to the door, opening it for us, as he had each time. He was the perfect gentleman (he had talked about how he was raised to be a gentleman and how he was supposed to take care of women, etc). I finally got his name, since we had never made any formal introductions and I believe it was Bob Owens. I know Bob was right, but I'm so bad with names, that I think the last was Owens. He was definitely a talker, because even when he's going to let you go, he still talks. He told us about a swing band on Beale St. at 6pm that he goes every week and throws the cane away to dance. We said we might come by later. Bob was certainly a person worth meeting.
We decided instead of standing and waiting for a trolley, we would start to walk and hopefully a trolley would catch up to us. It never did, but we enjoyed all the old buildings and at one point reached historical downtown area (not sure why this was more historical, but I'm guessing it was even older). The great thing about Memphis is that it feels like you've stepped back in time; the buildings, the friendliness of the people, the trollies, and all, but you can tell they have done a lot to improve the area and bring in a lot of unique trendy businesses but have also preserved some of the older ones. We had passed a sign landmarking the first ever Piggly Wiggly store (although I think it's now a hotel). Plus there are police EVERYWHERE. Katrina noticed the cameras everywhere too. My theory is that they've done that to help clean up the city and make it tourist friendly because it feels very safe.
We discovered that the Arcade restaurant was right across from our train station we had come in to last night (which also houses a police station). Many movies have been filmed there, and there are two booths that have plaques denoting Elvis' booth and JFK's booth (I read that on a review, but didn't see it with my own eyes, so I can't quite vouch for that). The reviews said to get breakfast, especially the sweet potato pancakes. It was clearly a popular restaurant because we had to wait about 20 minutes. I was so hot at this point, with sweat rolling down my legs and back from the walk over. It was almost noon, so this was really going to be lunch and not breakfast.
We were brought in and sat down a booth near the counter. The counters did have elbow spots where people over the years have rubbed off the design. It certainly felt like we stepped into the fifties. I ordered the sweet potato pancakes, eggs, bacon, and grits. This was what was recommended online, so that's what I did and it was well worth it.
After our lunch, we walked back towards Beale street for our Mojo Bus Tour. We walked down Beale all the way to the end. Sunday was certainly calmer than Saturday night had been. There were little kids right at the top of the street doing flips up and down for money. It was certainly impressive what they could do, but I just hope that they are not just being hustled and used for the money. The signs were interesting and all the bars/restaurants up and down the street. There was live music in several spots, even in the afternoon. The street certainly didn't smell good. It had the smell of trash and/or vomit, which was pretty much enough to ruin the atmosphere.
After walking the street, we went to the local Starbucks for an iced coffee and I saw the stadium where the Memphis Grizzlies play as well as I am sure there are many great musicians there. We went back up to the ticket booth next to Blues City Cafe to check in for our bus tour. With our few spare minutes, we entered the gift shop which was filled with Elvis memorabilia - Elvis clocks, cups, keychains, shirts, pictures, magnets, postcards, posters, and basically anything else Elvis centered you can think of.
Our Mojo bus tour was on a retro looking bus that had a seat up front with a microphone for our musical tour guide. Our tour guide, Kathryn, was the perfect looking country singer - pretty with blue eyes and long brown hair with curls at the bottom. She had a guitar and cowboy boots - just what every good country girl should have. They handed out a few tambourines and some eggs that you shake to help with the rhythm section.
Our guide told us we had to help her get her "mojo" on by singing along and keeping the rhythm. Katrina and I were definitely the youngest in the bus, and it wasn't very full, but it looked like fun. Our first stop was "Mojo" park where early in the 1900's blues singers would sit and play the blues. WC Handy was one of those and battled against the local mayor who wanted to take away the booze, women and gambling from Beale St.
We toured around to many places including where Elvis and BB King lived, the radio stations (WDIA - first all black station) and studios that helped make these people popular, and the park where Elvis and Johnny first performed. We drove by Sun Studio where it all started for Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash...and we even saw one of the first guitarists for the house band at Sun Studios, Roland Janes (and only one still alive) heading in the back doors after he parked his old American sedan (not sure of the make, but it certainly reminded me of the cars my grandparents always owned). I guess he hangs out there regularly these days.
We went to Stax radio and heard about how soul began here in Memphis and were told of the Stax sound (which I'm not really familiar with). We were told stories of Otis Redding and heard the song RESPECT and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. We ended our tour heading by the Lorraine Motel, where MLK was shot and killed.
Our tour guide was great - funny and had a good voice. She kept the music going by singing the classics like 3 O'clock Blues, It's Alright, Great Balls of Fire, Blue Suede Shoes, Folsom Prison Blues, and Little Red Riding Hood (Howlin Wolf was Sam Philips favorite). It was definitely a fun tour and the only way we saw a bigger area of Memphis outside of the Downtown area.
After our tour, we headed to the Civil Rights National Museum which really was full of great exhibits on the struggle for African American equality starting with slavery early on in the colonies and ending with the murder of King. There were many detailed exhibits on the Civil Rights movements of the 50's-60's. We were able to tour the rooms where King stayed and look out the window over the balcony where he was shot and killed. The tour ended across the street in the building where James Earl Ray shot him from with the rooms also set up to see the way it went down. I am glad we came when we did because they said it was going to be closed for the next few years to be remodeled.
We walked to the Peabody Hotel which has the famous march of the ducks. Apparently the original hotel owner had ducks and the wife didn't like the ducks inside the building going where they wanted. One of the workers, who had worked for the circus, trained the ducks to stay only in the fountain and then twice a day they are marched between their "Duck Palace" (yes, that's the real name) on the roof and the fountain in the lobby. We missed the duck march back up to the roof in the evening by a half hour, but we did visit the ducks upstairs on the roof, where we had another amazing view of the city. We visited inside the store, Lansky's, where the owner clothed Elvis in a pink shirt.
It was just after 6pm, so I wanted to go listen to the swing band our friend Bob had recommended. We went back to Beale street and walked up and down, but to no avail. All we got was the strong smell of the street in the late afternoon heat. It was not good and I needed to be off that street. I entered the gift shop we had been in earlier and asked a girl and she didn't know. Like the true southern helpfulness I had been experiencing, it didn't end there. She asked just about every other worker there, who didn't know until finally one guy said if that Alfred's does have swing music every so often, so if it was anywhere, it would be there.
Alfred's was just a block down and sure enough we looked inside and they had the big band set-up, just like in the old days. Katrina saw my friend Bob. We went inside and sat in the back, and ordered sodas and BBQ nachos. These BBQ nachos were amazingly good. Chips smothered in cheese with just enough liquidy sweet BBQ sauce, pork, and jalepenos on top. I'm not always a pork fan, but I let Katrina have the majority of the pork. The rest was so good!
Not too long into our time there, Bob came by and I waved. He recognized us and came to talk with us. The few minutes he was there, a few people came up to talk to him. He introduced us to them all. He pointed out a man who was a singer for the band, but had also been a DJ on one of the big stations out there for years. Bob went away for a little while, then came back. He eventually brought the DJ, Tom, over and the two of them sat and talked with us for a long time. Both complete gentlemen (Tom was probably in his 60's and we found Bob was in his 80's). Tom told us when Bob wasn't there briefly how great Bob is and how everyone knows and loves him. I could tell why.
Bob went to sit back at his table after chatting with us for at least a half hour. Before he left, he took out two $2 bills and gave one to each of us. He said something about making sure he left us with something. He pointed out the pictures on the bill, history and our nation is clearly important to him and he expressed he was sad to see what was becoming of the nation.
When we left, he wanted us to come say goodbye, so I did. Like the true gentleman he is, he walked us to the front door of the establishment, cane and all. I felt sad saying goodbye to him and promised if I returned to Memphis I would come back to this place and look for him on a swing night. Of all the people I have met, I feel like he was truly one of a kind and I was in the company of greatness. That chance meeting in the morning (well, as chance as it could be between God sending good people my way and his friendly character) is one I want to remember and I refused to spend my $2 bill. I plan to keep that to remind me of this incredible man. There is a reason every person we met said something nice about this man to us. I'm sure that I will see this man on the other side of heaven.
Since we weren't yet hungry and wanted to see the sunset, we walked down to the riverfront on the Mississippi. It was the perfect timing to watch the sun sink over Arkansas. The "M" bridge was to our right, steamboats down in front, another train bridge to our left, and the fields across the river from us. Before the light was completely gone we circled back up to Main Street and walked back to Beale St.
Katrina and I headed to Blues City Cafe for our BBQ ribs. We shared an order of a full rack of pork ribs. We had been told that the meat usually just falls off the bone. This was no fancy, upscale establishment, but they do serve plain good southern food. Our ribs did come right off the bone, but we were still too full from the appetizer we had eaten at Alfred's. Along with it came baked beans, coleslaw, and steak fries. We didn't finish our plate, but we felt at least we had gotten to eat some Memphis Ribs. (Oh, small note here...we had been told by several people to eat at Rendezvous, famous for it's ribs, but they were closed Sundays and Mondays, so that was out. Plus, the locals didn't seem so crazy about it, it's apparently more of a tourist attraction than a local place. Still, we had to go with a rib joint that was easy to get to, so this place was it).
After dinner, we walked back to the hotel to pick up our bags and take a taxi to the train station. On our way we passed all the shops (many of which were closed all day due to it being Sunday), and several homeless people who were sleeping on the benches around the Occupy Memphis area in front of the city buildings. We retrieved our bags and got our taxi with little problem (I was always out of $1 bills to tip people though, so I'm glad Katrina had them).
The train station was full when we arrived but we only had to wait about a half hour before we boarded onto our sleeper car. Actually, it was called a roomette. And I understand why. Our porter had pulled down the beds and there was no other space inside that room. In fact, the top bunk, my bed for the evening, was so close to the ceiling that I had to duck just sitting it. We laughed at the compactness of the room and left our luggage downstairs because there was no place to put it. After arranging and trying to figure out a little of our Chicago plans, I buckled in the straps that were there to protect me from falling off the top bunk (I really don't move around but our last train had been very bumpy), and we turned out the lights. Grateful for a flat place to lay, no matter how small, the whir and sway of the train rocked me to sleep.
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