Before Obama was King there was Elvis

 Hey Gang,

Part 5

I dubbed this trip the throw back trip.  Just about everything we did or saw had a connection to the past. 

The GoGo Bus is a 69 and just driving it gives you a feel of yesterday.  The convention I attended had to do with restoring the nation to years ago, then we saw Elvis’s house, the MLK memorial, the old hotel we stayed, Cave City, Lincoln’s birthplace, the junk antique shops it was just a neat flashback trip.

We followed the travel brochure to Graceland but somehow got lost.  I asked a woman at a gas station for directions.  She gave them, left the gas station, turned around, came back and said follow me I’ll take you there.  Now that’s southern hospitality at its finest.

I just couldn’t believe where Graceland was.  It is shoehorned between junk stores and strip mall after strip mall.  I was as disappointed as when I saw the Alamo in Texas.  The Alamo is also surrounded by stores and tacky tourist shops.   PLEASE don’t think I am comparing the Alamo to Graceland, only comparing the surroundings. 

I pictured Graceland to be like a sprawling southern plantation with nothing around or in an upscale community.  Maybe years ago when it was built it was like that.  I wonder if Elvis were alive today would his neighborhood have declined like it has or if it did would he have fled and moved elsewhere?

 Driving up you see this mirage like structure with a stone fence around it.  The fence is high enough that it makes it difficult to see the mansion.  Graffiti and signatures cover the stone barrier and makes it look almost ghetto-like.  On TV they always show a tight shot so it appears much different than when you see it in person.

Across the street is an Elvis themed gift shop and diner plus both of his airplanes which you can also take a tour of. 

 Next door there are a few tacky tourist shops touting all things Elvis. 

 It was just really weird seeing it, again much different than what I expected.  All the idol worship people give this man you would think leading up to Graceland the streets would be paved with gold, at least gold records.

I was all shook up....

 Gotta GoGo!!

  Carey

Ride to mlk

cable car tracks in road

slept well

Nashville is no longer a country city

crazy busy  chain restaurants

laugh time, man in yard working on car

gloominess of place  eerie driving up

time warp smell

woke to oldies on the radio

look out restaurant asked waitress if its the name because of the lookout or because the food is so bad you need to look out

both, scenery and food is bad

Paul asked for church waitress said go to my dads church

small Baptist church, fiery preacher

weird manner of joining

off to mammoth cave

World heritage site

Paul got sick

Lincoln

State rep

gas cap