The pink limo pulled up in front of our camping cabin at the Graceland RV park. Taste buds drooling, we climbed in for our short ride to Marlowe’s BBQ  restaurant, a BBQ institution in Memphis. The food was amazing as promised; BBQ chicken and ribs, creamy potato salad, tangy coleslaw, freshly made biscuits, and southern sweet tea. Life was tasty!

We were one about one month into our extended drive around the United States, and were thrilled to have finally arrived in the south. I had visited parts of this area of the country as a child, but Jim had never done more than connect through Atlanta airport. History, a laid-back lifestyle, and southern cooking were all calling our name.

First up, Graceland. I have been an Elvis fan for years, but never felt drawn to visit Graceland, but hell, we were in Memphis anyway so ya gotta do it! It is always fascinating to tour places frozen in time, and Graceland was no different. The overwhelming gaudiness of the estate was almost laughable – entire rooms done in all turquoise, white shag carpeting, a surprising number of peacock carvings everywhere, along with the expected recording room and awards room, displaying the thousands of awards he earned in his relatively short life. There was certainly no denying his extraordinary talent and charisma. Sadly, no photography is allowed on the site so I can not share the peacocks with you.

After extradicting ourselves from the overpriced gift store (really, someone would pay$1800 dollars for a replica Elvis outfit????), we retreated to our air conditioned cabin for a couple of hours before spending a super enjoyable evening at the Marlowe’s BBQ restaurant. Whenever we have returned from trips overseas, we are always a bit saddened by the lack of friendliness in the United States. Even in the casual Pacific Northwest, smiling at a stranger walking towards you on the street can incite startled looks as though you are a potential stalker! Lucky for us, the residents of the Southern US restored our faith. There we felt that when someone asked “how are you today?” they really MEANT “how are you today?”.

Day two in Memphis dawned bright and we headed downtown for a near perfect day of sightseeing. We began with a viewing of the duck parade at the Peabody Hotel. This Memphis tradition may be one of the more unusual touristy sights we have ever experienced. Begun in the 1930’s when the hotel manager and a friend had a little too much Jack Daniels and decided to place some of their live duck decoys in the hotel fountain as a joke. The reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic, so continued. In 1940 the bellman, a former circus trainer, said he could train the ducks to come down the elevator and walk the red carpet to the fountain, and the tradition has continued since.

The ducks now live in pampered on the roof of the hotel, spending their days paddling in the lobby fountain.

Sun Records recording studio was up next, and provided an interesting and insightful glimpse into the early days of Elvis, BB King and a host of others. After the tour, we stopped in the cafe for a malt and met Charmine. This 60’something proud southern black woman was a treasure. Charismatic, charming, and funny, she was truly interested in hearing how our day was going, and fully engaged in telling us about hers. Although we only spent 15-20 minutes with her, we will forever remember the force of her personality.

Lunch on Beale street provided yet another amazing example of southern cooking. Seemingly simple pulled pork, smokey baked beans, crisp coleslaw, cold beer, and live Blues. Lunchtime perfection.

I had been wanting to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, at the Lorraine hotel for years and it was so worth it! Located in the hotel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, it makes for an incredible visit. This man inspired a nation, and his assassination, rather than extinguishing his message, merely fanned the flames and went a long way in the civil war movement. The Civil War museum did not just cover his fascinating life, but the entire movement in general and is well worth a stop if you find yourself in Memphis.

Next we headed to the deep south in low country Charleston. This city is pure southern charm. Gorgeous plantation homes, trees dripping moss. A beautiful city, full of parks, gardens and statues. Horsedrawn carriage tours. Southern hospitality. Sweet tea. And the best fried chicken imaginable.!

Charleston in August is HOT, the humidity was breathtaking, and we were reminded of travels in SE Asia.

Here, again, we met delightful locals at every turn. From the absolutely delightful staff, serving up outstanding Southern cooking at the ever popular Justine’s, to the accommodating staff at our hotel, to his lovely lady, Ann Simmons, weaving reed baskets to sell on the street corner, nearly everyone we met was casual, friendly, and interested in how we were liking the South.

One can not visit the south without touring a plantation. We braved the humidity and bugs to visit Magnolia Plantation, a short distance outside of town. It was straight out of Gone with The Wind, giant oaks dripping moss, swampy ponds, majestic plantation house, alligators, and turtles, peeking out at us among the foliage. Founded in 1697 by the Drayton family, this plantation has survived the centuries and witnessed the history of our nation unfold. From the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond, It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry, and the oldest public gardens in America, opening its doors to visitors in 1870.

Our tour of the south continued, a bit further north as we headed towards Williamsburg, but those stories will have to wait for another day.