Then....I'm walking in Memphis

Then I'm walking in Memphis
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale
Walking in Memphis
But do I really feel the way I feel

Saw the ghost of Elvis
On Union Avenue
Followed him up to the gates of Graceland
Then I watched him walk right through
Now security they did not see him
They just hovered 'round his tomb
But there's a pretty little thing
Waiting for the King
Down in the Jungle Room


So, I have seen the jungle room. I have been in it actually. Did you know it really is a room? I've also been on Beale street. Yep, it's a real street.

Memphis is an amazing city. I was told when I got here, "There are places you don't want to be found at night, then there are places you don't even want to be in the day!"

I have seen the places you don't want to be...and I loved it! I love every part of this city. Now, I don't want to live there or spend a great amount of time there, but I love seeing everything there is to see. The culture really is what you would imagine. I'm not sure it's the same as it was in the 70's during Elvis' reign, or in the 30's and 40's with the great blue's and rock and roll jammers, but it does have an energy....an incredible energy. I have never met people like in Memphis. They almost sit down and eat with you, they consider themselves Grandparents to your kids, and a man came up and hugged me at church for a good ten minutes.

The church is true here too, not that you were worried, but the Stake Conference we went to was one of the best I have ever attended. Plus, we sat two rows behind Justin Phelps and his family. The double take was priceless! It was great to see some familiar faces. It's so true that everywhere you go, you find someone from the White Mountains.

Graceland (you know you are all thinking...Seriously? But just wait!)
There is an energy in there too. Driving up to the front of the house you might think it's just a nice home in Memphis. In all honesty, it's kinda small compared to other homes I have seen. Other than the huge grounds, its quite normal looking. But the minute you walk into the home you can feel it. It's not like it's his ghost walking around, but you feel an energy. I was amazingly surprised at how much I liked it. I am not a celeb watcher, or get wrapped up in celebrity stuff, but it was awesome to know that I was standing in the home of the greatest music icon in the world. I like knowing that people are just people. His pool table had a tear in it from where one of his friends tore it. His back patio furniture in torn along with some of the furniture in the home. In the Jungle room, you can see where the fur seats are worn from wear.

It was a home that was used. In the tour, Lisa Marie talks about the love that was in the home all the time. I will post a slide show of the pics but there were a few places that stood out to me. These are the stairs as you first walk in the home. No one is allowed upstairs.


They say it is for the privacy of Elvis and his family but even special guests to his home he never took up there. Can't help but wonder what's up there!


Off the back of the house, Elvis built a racquetball court with a lounge. Today, the courts walls are lined with fabric to hold up his records and his many famous suits adorned with rhinestones are encased there.

But this was the best room of them all.
The room just off of the court is where Elvis sat and played "Unchained Melody" for some close friends and family the morning he died. That was an interesting feeling. Both Rusty and I thought so. To be in the place where he last was happy on this earth was enlightening. Same as when I stood there by his grave and the eternal flame. Just a humbling feeling. He really was larger than life.