Travelogue: Memphis, TN
For the first time since COVID began, my family and I took a trip. We traveled initially to Jonesboro, Arkansas to visit my brother. He was celebrating his 30th birthday this weekend, (and let me tell you...he looks it).
Yes, this is a real thing.
For those of you who don't remember how Memphis connects to Civil Rights, it's the city where three major events took place.
While staying at the Lorraine Motel, which now houses the Civil Rights museum, an assassin's bullet took MLK's life far too soon.
(Incidentally, my father felt sorry for the poor owners of the Lorraine. Having such a horrible event transpire on their property was bad enough, but he said, "I bet their business went down hill after that.")
What we didn't know when we moved him down to Jonesboro last summer was that just one hour away was Memphis, Tennessee. So, it being my brother's birthday weekend, he decided that we should do a day trip to Memphis.
It is of course impossible to take in a whole city in one day, but we managed to see a few things that certainly mark out Memphis as a locale worth a return trip.
The first place we visited was somewhere my brother had wanted to go to since he'd been to Memphis the first time (mainly out of hipster-ish ironic curiosity): the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid.
Nestled near the riverfront of the city is a giant metal pyramid, which at present houses the Good Ole Boy's Disneyland: The Bass Pro Indoor Outdoor Experience. Basically, it's the ultimate one-stop outdoorsman's shopping mall and duck hunting museum.
Of course, when I saw the structure, my initial thought was, "What Pharaoh is buried within that monolith?" My guess: Pharoah Bubba the First. Like Pharaohs of old, surrounding him are all his treasures: his rifle, his fishing pole, the stuffed remains of his favorite hunting hound, etc. I also imagined his coffin was lined with his favorite fabric: cameo.
(I also noted that the Pyramid was missing a major business opportunity. Considering how much surface it had outside, and how reflective that surface was, they could install 100s of solar panels that could quickly pay for themselves and save the owners major money on electricity. But of course, this was Tennessee and good ole boys don't believe in solar power.)
Next on the list, at my mother's request was a place she really wanted to see: The National Civil Rights Museum.
First, there was the Sanitation Workers' Strike, where the largely African-American workforce of the city sanitation workers went on strike following the deaths of two of its members. This gave rise to the famed I AM A MAN March
Second, it was where Dr. King gave the last great speech of his life: the famed Mountaintop speech.
Third and finally, it's where Dr. King's life abruptly ended at the age of 39.
I was in awe standing there in a place where a hero of mine once was. MLK may not have been a perfect person, but he stood for something important and even in the place where his life ended, it's important to memorialize his legacy.
We ended the day by walking around Beale Street, seeing the first signs of the people beginning to celebrate Pride Month, which is only a few days away, and visiting the lobby of the Peabody Hotel. Now, what makes a hotel worth visiting?
Why, its lobby ducks, of course.
Some hotels have aquariums; some, birdcages full of finches; some, koi ponds. The Peabody, however, has a fountain in which it keeps Mallard Ducks. Everyday, at 11am and 5pm, the hotel's "Duckmaster" marches them into the lobby fountain and out of the fountain like he's leading a parade. Sadly, we didn't get to see either, but we did get to make the Ducks' acquaintances.
For water fowl, they're quite sociable, but not very good conversationalists.
After all that, we ended up dining at Central Barbeque, the best BBQ joint in the city. (I would show you photos of the food, but by the end of the meal there wasn't anything left to photograph.) And Jesus, it was busy. The COVID restrictions in TN had lifted this weekend, so everyone was out and about having fun.
Going to and from the self-service drink dispenser, I can't count how many times I almost kneed a poor kid in the face. But I never did. So, even a year out of practice dining out, those skills of dodging and weaving around people are still there.
Like I said before, it's impossible to take in a whole city in one day. But the little bit that we did see definitely made me decide that Memphis is a place worth a repeat visit.
Who knows, maybe next time we'll get to see the Peabody Ducks march into the lobby.
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