The Search for Elvis' Dog

Stopped for a coffee in Clarksdale and Mike found some music in a local juke joint which we listened to briefly before heading off. Flat and agricultural all the way to Vicksburg where Vic had found a rooftop cafe on the 11th floor and exotic Bloody Marys with crispy bacon hanging off the side. Yummy. Frank picked up a canvas in the Attic Art gallery run by a lady who had the place for 40 years. Then up to the military park to hear about the Siege of Vicksburg and the lads eating rats and what not, one of the pivotal points in the war as it gave the North control of the Mississippi. Eoin is shown brass his cannon below. Onwards to Port Gibson which turned out to be completely dead, yet another southern town in a downward spiral looks like. Then to the Grand Hotel in Natchez with its UV blue shower lighting. Gorgeous antebellum houses all over this most scenic towns. The lads went to the Kings Tavern for dinner and Frank went for a tiny run in 96 degree heat and then to a cafe nearb...

The day started with a healthy  breakfast followed by a brief discussion with a local tour guided who advised walking down Main Street to the National Civil Rights Museum and the Lorraine Hotel. It was really, really good and loads of info regarding how from the 15th century to the present day African Americans had been screwed over by the with man. From the outside the museum looks like it is the motel and they also have the house where James Earl Ray shot MLK on the balcony. Onwards to Stax Records where Otis Reading and The Staples to name but a few were first recorded. After MLKs death it all changed however and color issues were everywhere. Jim Stewart founded it with his sister Estelle Axton in the Soulsville district of Memphis. Isaac Hayes was one of the recording artists there, check out his gold plated Cadillac below. Eventually we left for Clarksdale stopping for lunch at Helena where Brad Adler joined us for lunch and never stopped talking. Still, Vic enjoyed his 1...

Easy drive into Memphis with Eoin dominant at the wheel of the Beast. Congratulations to him on his driving and on a job......done. Parked up at the celebrated Peabody and waited for the duck parade to begin. This tradition dates back to the 1500s whereby ducks were forced to take an elevator from the top floor down to a fountain where they swam around for 6 hours before being strangled and plated for that evening’s banquet. It was thought that the strenuous exercise on their last hours added quality and texture  to the duck’s muscular sinews.  We later walked out to Sun Records which was a real highlight with a great tour and lots of interesting facts about Sam Phillips (who sold Elvis’ contract for $35,000 to RCA and never regretted it) as well as Roy Orbison, Cal Perkins and Johnny Cash, all four known as the Millionaire quartet. Ubered over to Graceland (first to the Rock and Roll cafe for lunch) which was a bit OTT re commercialism. The house is surprisingly small a...

The day started on an awkward footing with Frank’s lost passport. Frank could see that the guys were prepared to leave without him but fortunately it didn’t come to that. Here’s that view from Tarapoint B&B way above the Mississippi. Then a quick coffee at Alton and some funky art at the German Brew House with Frank ripping off more art. Over to the impressive Cahokia city for a look see and mound walking trip. Largest native ancient City in North America “the Mississippians” before the whites moved in and did a number on them. Nice lunch  in St. Genevieve followed by a trip to the golf grail at Chester and everyone's hero, Popeye, and then to Metropolis, Superman's current hangout. He is currently in a dispute with Marvel over image rights so he was in a bit of a sulk, truth be told. Finished up in a tremendous motel in Dyersburg where Vic, Eoin and Frank played Singo which is a type of musical bingo (Hip Hop) with Lea, the local waitress, assisting. Vic maintained that ...