Graceland, Tenn

Yesterday was one of the days I was looking forward to most on our vacation. I finally get to visit Graceland. I have wanted to visit Graceland for years. Both of my parents were big Elvis fans so I grew up watching his TV specials (the 1970’s specials with the jumpsuits and the big gut) and I always heard about the craziness of Graceland.

Graceland lived up to every single expectation I had. It was tacky, excessive, retro and reminded me of my parents and grandparents house from the 1970’s. First, the parking lot is bigger than the actual mansion. The parking lot is across the street along with about 4-5 different gifts shops. They literally put Elvis on everything. You board a bus that takes you across the street to the mansion and the tour is conducted via personal audio system. The tour is only conducted downstairs and they wont take you upstairs to either the master bedroom nor the bathroom where he died. (Kinda of morbid to explain to your kids this is where he died right here on these tiles.) You know you are at Graceland when you see twin stain glass peacocks in the living room, the pool room done in 1970’s plaid fabric actually glued to the wall and the family room called the “Jungle Room”. Jungle room was my favorite because it had green shag carpet on the floors, wall and the ceiling. The rest of the tour was really about seeing his gold albums and his clothes from his different musical shows. (Side note, Elvis never toured outside of the United States.) Next to the pool is the mediation garden and this is where Elvis is buried next to his mom, dad and grandma. After seeing the mansion, you go back across the street through another gift shop to see three other exhibits. The first exhibit was his motorcycle and car collection. I lost count after 15 cars (3 cars that were produced only for Elvis), 11 motorcycles and 9 modified golf carts, scooters and go-carts. Yes, he did own a Pink Cadillac and it was his mom’s favorite. The second exhibit (after passing through another gift shop. Do I really need another shot glass with Elvis’s picture on it?) is all about his movie career. Most of his movies were terrible but everyone of his movies made money. Even those crappy movies in Hawaii. The last exhibit, (seriously, another gift shop again? You guys design this stuff like Disneyland.) was my favorite. It dealt with Elvis’s career in the Army. Kim’s uncle served in the Army at the same time with Elvis and even had a chance encounter with him. I learned a great deal about Elvis, so e-mail if you have questions about the King. So, let me answer your question, “Did you guys buy anything from the gift shop? Yes, we bought some small things (how can you not have a Elvis bottle opener?) and walked across the street and bought more Elvis crap but a lot cheaper.
After we accomplish the pilgrimage to Graceland, we hit another of Guy Fieri’s diners, Marlowe’s Ribs. AWESOME BBQ! Don’t waste your time going anywhere else, this place is the BOMB! Of course it helps to be 1 mile south of Graceland so it was easy to getting to. We sampled a bunch of southern foods: fried green tomatoes (sour) fried dill pickles (horrid, like eating a rubber band) corn fritters (the kids favorite) and fried okra (the single worst item. I would rather eat wood). Don’t go for that stuff get either. Get the pork ribs and the pull pork. Awesome, awesome and more awesome. Face it anything from a pig is good with the right kind of BBQ sauce.
After waving goodbye to Graceland, we headed to Nashville to spend the night. Again a complete bozo designed the freeway system in and around Nashville and if not for our GPS we still would be driving around Nashville. We did drive by the Grand Olde Opry (it is gigantic!) and found our camp ground. One more night in the Kamping Kabins about the Nashville KOA and tomorrow we stay in a hotel for a small break.

Next stop, Virginia.

MZ