Day 6-9

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Trip Start Aug 01, 2007 Previous
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  Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Friday, August 10, 2007

Day 6 - Shaconage (otherwise known as the Great Smoky Mountains)
"Don't go chasing Waterfalls..."

Woke up with another 25 bed bug bite marks. My research into the
merits of silk sleeping sheets was obviously a load of bollocks
really. I suspect I am now the carrier of 2 rival bed bug gangs who
use me as food to sustain their gang fights.

Needed to stock up on essentials for a day of hiking in the Smokies so went for a trip to Wal-Mart...Jesus the place is huge. Had a look at their firearms section and nearly bought a rifle for the bargain price of $650

Country gold disc collection (Hall of fame)

. Can't see this catching on at Tesco's.

The drive into the Smokies was very scenic. Made a stop at the
Cherokee Indian Reservation and had a quick look at all the native
American gear..Wigwams, leather gear and feathers. Sadly no space in my pack for all of it.

Parked the car in the middle of the Mountains and did some serious
hiking. Really stunning forests with butterflies everywhere, rivers
and waterfalls. Obviously had a splash around the falls to cool down.
Apparently there are bears around so whenever I heard a rustle in the bushes I was on serious alert mode. I once read somewhere that punching an attacking bear in the nose sorts them out. Bullshit...that would probably just tickle them.

After a good day's hiking drove to Gatlinburg and found a place to rest for the night..bit more pricey than the usual but I was knackered.
Quick dinner in town (noticing some mighty hefty people around...they sure like their double burger meals).

Quite big drive tomorrow and should reach Nashville (home of country music) by late lunch. Can't wait.

Country music art (not sure about the styling)

I hope the bed bugs have decided to settle down and retire in the forests.


Day 7 - Nashville
"I'm on the road again..."

Late rise today as I had a bed bug free kip. Long drive from
Gatlinburg to Nashville (4 hours and 280 miles). Have brought a 8 cd Spanish learning set. Need to get a good grounding for when I reach Central and South America. The promise by Michelle Thomas (the course lecturer) is that I'll have a good grounding within 12 hours. Ou'est la Piscine sil vous plait?

During a petrol stop I had the misfortune to park next to a pickup
truck with big lights, huge antlers on the front and full of rednecks
drinking beer. Looked like all they were doing was sitting there
shouting racist abuse at any Mexicans or afro-Americans walking out of the shop

Elvis RIP

. "Goddamn Mexicano...gowaaan back home..etc." Very weird.

Nashville is el Scorchio!! (104 F). I seemed to have arrive during a
major heatwave. Couldn't find any extra cheap lodgings so opted for a chain motel (Comfort in at $45 (£22) a night. Arrived late afternoon so during the stifling heat made use of the Motel pool.

Relaxed in the evening at a country bar supping a few beers ($3 each) and watching some live country bands. Fantastic foot stomping stuff.

Nashville just seeps music. Everywhere you go in the music district
there were guitar players outside, inside and just about everywhere. I
suppose that's why they call it music city.

The plan tomorrow is to explore the city and in the evening do some cowboy slide dancing steps and see a live Blue Grass band.


Day 8 - Nashville
"Walk the line..."

At 8.30 in the morning the temperature was 96F in Nashville. Holy shit this heats too much for sightseeing. Still, had a look round the
place

Elvis's bed - Graceland

. Saw the famous Studio 8 where loads of stars recorded, then Music row (where all the record companies and studios are). Also spent most of the afternoon in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Brilliant place to learn about the roots of country and Rock n Roll. ($14).

Food is well cheap here (as well as all over the US). Had a pasta
lunch for $6.99.

At night the lively 'the District' beckoned. Nearly every bar (roughly
50) had a live band of some kind of music. Stopped in BB Kings bar for a few Buds and heard some live country rock. Then onto my favourite 'Lilly's Bluegrass and Hillbilly Country bar'. Great live band. I did a lot of whoopin and a hollerin, some Rebel slidin and abit of Country Stompin. Top atmosphere.
A swift nightcap at Tootsiesand off home.

Long drive to Memphis tomorrow morning. Elvis beckons. Thank you very much.


Day 9 - Memphis
"Well since my baby left..I found a place to dwell..."

After a 3.5 hour and 210 mile drive (I'm onto cd 3 of spanish now

Elvis's car. Verrrrry 70's

.
Donde esta Memphis por favor) I arrived in Memphis. It is seriously el scochio (102 F).

There are 4 things I really wanted to experience here and managed to do 3 of them. Firstly was a visit to the Stax Museum of Soul Music ($12) where some of my favourite soul singers started out: Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Booker T, Sam and Dave and Isaac Hayes. Great museum where you can hear and see the roots of Soul. They even had Isaac Hayes' pimp mobile with fluffy carpet all over.

Next on my list was to see where the King himself lived. Graceland
($25) was surprisingly good. I thought it would be well tacky but it
was all in good taste..then finally seing Elvis'as grave. Very
sombre moment.

Number 3 was to see my all time favourite soul singer Al Green (now the Reverend Al Green) lead a 2.5 hour service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Rev Al Green Road. I was so looking forward to hearing him sing with his gospel choir but sadly (should have worked this out better) it only happens on Sundays

Hard Rock Cafe - Nashville

. I'm only here for a day/ night so due to time limitations can't make it.

Number 4 was to hear some low down dirty blues. So off to Beale street in the early evening for some Southern fried chicken and fried green tomatoes ($7.50). Then bar after bar...after bar of top live blues bands. Saw a great imprompto band in a small park playing some funk but my favourite was a blues band from Memphis called '2 weeks notice' who played loads of classic blues and some Lynard Skynard thrown in (my request of Free bird was gratefully played). They were so good I bought their cd.

I have to say Memphis is without a doubt my favourite place in the US so far. Its got history, grit, friendliness and real soul. Nashville
was a bit tacky in comparison. If I had the choice Memphis would be Music city. Viva Las Memphis.

For the next 2 days I have to try and cover the 1089 miles from
Memphis to Denver (Colorado). This will be the toughest drive of the whole trip and by the end of it I should be fluent in Spanish. We'll see.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Had a few drinks in the Blue's bar where my Dad 8 years previously sat and had a few himself.

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Reverand Al Greens place	Stax - Memphis. Alot of my Soul heroes started out	Stax sign	The District - Nashville (loads of country bars)
Tram ride along Mississippi	Typical country singers car (note gun handles)	Uha, thank you vrey much

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