A Meander in Memphis

Like many, the States was not very high up on my to-do list, I had a whole atlas of other places I wanted to visit first.

But a beautiful, simple I Do ceremony changed this. My best friend Michelle, based in America was getting married.

After four flights over almost two full days of travelling, I touched down in the Mid-South in Memphis Tennessee. Reuniting with my bags, I escaped the sixth airport I had progressed through. We went across the state line into Mississippi to a brand new housing estate in Oxford, a suburb near Southaven just south of the state line.

Americans are proud of their existence, we know this and once inside their borders, this was evident - often.  The following morning while driving out of Southaven fluttering in the gentle breeze high above the world I saw the largest flag I have ever laid eyes on. The stars and stripes were proudly waving to everyone with the massive flag pole planted in the middle of a car dealership selling huge gas-guzzling cars.

My first day in America, a handful of international guests and myself were treated to a day in the life of a southerner. We drove to a rural area an hour out of Southaven, our end point, our soon-to-be-Groom, Jimmy’s plot of land. We spent a delightful day tearing through puddles on a zooty quad bike, shooting powerful high-tech bow and arrows and then disappearing further into the woods to shoot a range of impressive handguns and even a magnificent muzzleloading musket that was packed with gun-powder.

The memorable day ended watching a ball game back in Southaven. A bubbly group of U9 girls clad in pink and black outfits buzzed eagerly around immaculately kempt diamonds. After the softball game we retired to a local pizza parlour. The adults congregated around one table with the kids sitting in the booth next door, two large pizzas were ordered to feed seven famished adults. The pizzas flew into the middle of the table, the size of unidentified flying saucers – they were intimidatingly massive. Super-sized would be an understatement but they tasted fabulous.

The morning before the wedding was spent hustling through a massively impressive food store picking up a list-fill of items needed for the wedding rehearsal dinner, a traditional barbeque in the garden. Doing chores we passed the humdrum everyday shops, the post office, the bank, a pharmacy, a Dunkin Donut to name a few. The intriguing thing was every one of these shops had a drive-through option. You could do all of your chores and not have to leave your vehicle, draw money from the ATM, pay your bills, pick up your vitamins from the comfort of your large vehicle.

Once the supplies were dropped off we escaped to Memphis for a couple of hours of sight-seeing. A late breakfast was enjoyed at the infamous Arcade Restaurant, the oldest café in Memphis established in 1919. The hearty breakfast was the famed dish of sweet potatoe pancakes, served with bacon and hash browns; a generous portion that could feed a small army.

Soon after stuffing our bellies, we jumped on the Memphis Trolley that took us around the historic area of Downtown Memphis, passing world renowned sights. For one dollar, the authentic vintage cart took us through the Beale Street district, past the National Civil Rights Museum based at the Lorraine Motel where Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated and along the majestic Mississippi River. The clickety-clack ride was a fantastic experience, completely whisking you back in time.

A wedding guest, described as ‘The Barbeque King’ kindly volunteered to spend the day barbequing chicken wings and what a job he did! The entire day was spent marinating and then cooking platefuls of wings ahead of the outdoor occasion. For the barbequing he had an electronic rotisserie designed for just this job. The result was a smoky, mouth-watering barbequed wing that melted in your mouth and accidentally caused you to line up for a few more.

The setting for the wedding could not have been more apt, with the venue Cedar Hill Farms, a tranquil farm with flower-filled rolling hills located on Love Road in the community of Love, Mississippi. Cedar Hill Farms is an operating farm and the wedding function took place in one of their beautifully restored barns. The ceremony looked over a paddock of grazing horses with the reception in the same barn. Children at the party jumped off hay bales, fed chickens, greeted the horses and eyed out the strawberry and black berry fields that were due to bloom. Here I got my taste of traditional pink lemonade, a taste I could quite get used to!

The day following the wedding ceremony was totally relaxing with a wander around Shelby Farms, one of America’s largest urban parks. We tossed around a Frisbee and tried our hand at throwing an American Football. Having soaked up the rays in the beautiful spring sunshine we then hunted down a frozen yoghurt cone to cool us down. Lunch was enjoyed at pakka Casa Mexicana restaurant. Another intimidatingly large portion was placed in front of me, this time it was Mexican food accompanied by an equally large Margarita. The day ended sitting around a fire pit watching the flames reach into the starry sky.

My final day in Memphis was spent doing the ‘Must-Do’s’. No visit to Memphis would be complete without a stop at the King of Rock ’n roll’s home – Graceland. From the parking lot Elvis’ music was piped through the sound system and kept you company until you departed Graceland. An enthusiastic team snapped your photo in front of large billboard backdrop depicting Graceland’s gates. Jumping on the tour bus, you then entered one of America’s treasures, Elvis Presley’s estate. Plugging into a portable audio system, you were free to roam and explore the public areas of his home.

The next stop after Graceland was for a frosty beverage on Beale Street. This three block entertainment district is the melting pot of delta blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and gospel. With cold beer and hot music, Beale Street is one of the coolest places in Memphis. Having been told that I had to have a drink on the road as Beale Street was one of two roads in America that you allowed to drink in public; I stopped in at the original BB Kings Blues Club.

The final item that I wanted to tick off my bucket list while in Memphis was to travel along the mighty Mississippi. What better way to do so than on a massive old red paddlewheel, the Island Queen - one of the spectacular riverboats. Waiting for the ship to dock, I watched a handful of trees being swept down the river by the brisk current. When she docked at the new Beale Street Landing, it was an easy process of getting onto this triple deck craft. Our tour took us a couple of miles up and down the Mississippi with our quirky tour guide describing the history of the river, interesting properties along the river belonging to famous Hollywood actors, and fond names of the bridges that we drifted under, including the Hernando de Soto Bridge, a double arch resembling an M that the river towboat drivers with a slight wink, referred to as Dolly Parton.

Departing Memphis at the crack of dawn, I have to admit that my time spent in the south was cherished with some gorgeous memories. The people and the places were utterly wonderful. But the lasting impressions certainly are the words super-sized and drive through.

Next stop, the capital!