Graceland... Graceland... Memphis, Tennessee

Continuing to go backwards in time... My stop before Little Rock was a single spot in Memphis:

GRACELAND!

Graceland

For once, I managed to hit the road by about 8am (because I woke up at 5 and couldn't fall asleep again) but it let me drive all the way from Nashville, TN to Little Rock, AR in one day, while also stopping for a couple of hours to see Elvis's mansion.

It was a little pricey, but worth it to see this icon of americana.  And there is a lot of Elvis's music playing everywhere, and I'm a big fan of his music, so that was nice.  The house itself -- Graceland -- is preserved nearly as it was when Elvis lived there, with a few rooms converted to displays of his awards and costumes.  But mostly, it is authentic.  And no tackier than it was when Elvis actually lived there.  And saying tacky isn't right...  It's actually freaking fantastic!  Why don't more people decorate their homes like that... I mean really decorate, make them something to talk about, and to love?

The foyer

A few of the many costumes on display.

The entire rest of the tour is a bunch of displays and exhibits that deposit visitors right into souvenir shops.  And in a few cases, the exhibits are in the souvenir shops (seriously).  For the most part, only the house was worth the tour, although seeing Elvis's cars and his two airplanes was kind of neat too.

Graves of Elvis and his family.  Moved to Graceland soon after his death to keep them secure.

There's not a whole lot to say about Graceland except two things.  First, if you're in the area, go and see it.  It's worth the trip, and worth learning about Elvis and how popular he was (which was especially amazing considering he was before cable TV and the internet, etc.).  Second, when Elvis bought Graceland it was a mansion.  But now, other than its over-the-top decor, it's hardly different than many homes being built today.  It's opulent, but not enormous.  I thought it was kind of a shame that a house as awesome as Graceland had its grandeur diminished by my (unwilling, but unavoidable) comparisons to all the boring mcmansions out on the market today.  But don't let my second point stop you from acting on my first point!  The place is a lot of fun.

Amen!