After an amazing, yet all too brief time in Chicago, I flew to Nashville via Charlotte, North Carolina to stay with Tom and Joann, people I had met whilst on the Barrier Reef back in February.
Tom and Joann are front centre (we were about to disembark at Lizard Island)
I can now say that they are no longer 'people I met', but are now lovely friends. I spent a whole week in their home and had a fabulous time (that will teach them to be friendly to a complete stranger in the future!) Actually, thinking back to our first meeting - it was not an auspicious one as Joann spent the first 24 hours onboard the 'Spirit of Freedom' throwing up at every opportunity due to the large swells, even I threw up once prior to a dive. Tom, who in his own words, is the less sociable of the 'Tom and Joann' double act, had to step into the breach and chat and socialise on their behalf until Joann gained her sea-legs. Fortunately, he did a great job and a small group of us really got along particularly well. His sincere invitation to us all "to visit them in Nashville if ever we were passing" became a reality with my trek across the States.
The 'Bat Tower' in central Nashville
The timing was remarkable, as I arrived in Nashville during the CMAs (Country Music Awards) which was amazing. I have never seen so many cowboy boots, nor heard so much music. Some places had different acts playing on each different floor and all around the city, stages were set up for the cream of Country talent to perform to the masses. Joann took the Friday off work and we went to the Ryman theatre, the Johnny Cash Museum and the State Capitol buildings before visiting a couple of bars and a restaurant. I think she may have noticed I was developing a fetish for cowboy boots!
Lindsay Ell on stage
I like Taylor Swift (so there) and I loved her sponsorship of young talent at the CM Centre
I went into downtown Nashville again to get a second taste of the country music city. I toured the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Parthenon and the local attractions. I even managed to visit the home of a former US President - Andrew Jackson (he was a US war hero, instrumental in the defeat of the British at the battle of New Orleans which resulted in American Independence.)
At the weekend, Tom drove me into Birmingham, Alabama so we could visit the home of motor racing in the south at a place called 'Barber Motorsports'. We set off at 6.00am to make the most of the day and to give us time to explore the motorcycle museum there first. I enjoyed a remarkable three hour tour of all the bikes, though Tom accused me of being rather biased towards the British manufacturers - Royal Enfield, BSA, Triumph, Norton, Vincent etc - he was right, though I did admire a few Hondas too! We eventually made our way over to the racetrack to watch the afternoon series of races. With the temperature hitting 100 C, I kept in the shade at every opportunity as we watched insane motorcycle riders averaging 106mph on the long and complex race track before saluting the crowds with wheelies on the straits. We had a long drive back to Tennessee that evening, but the day had been very much worth it.
Q1. Who remembers Easy Rider - and can name the two lead actors?
But whilst the sights and attractions were all very welcome, what made my time so special was the fact that I was brilliantly looked after by Tom, Joann and their two sons Patrick and Ryan. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to stay in a family home, enjoy family meals together, go to their local church and sit in their hot-tub in the garden at night and watch the fireflies. It also gave me time to plan the rest of my trip, book my flight out of America, deal with the car insurance claim, consolidate my finances and replace my shoes. What a welcome break.
And I absolutely loved Nashville. I had to make myself leave on the eighth day
before I totally outstayed my welcome!
All too soon I was sat on another Greyhound bus, this time heading to Memphis (just four hours this trip.) Another fabulous place. I loved Memphis, though it is definitely a place with mixed areas of wealth and poverty. A lady I met on the bus journey, Connie, offered to drive me to my hotel when we reached the Memphis terminal, but first insisted on showing me key locations she knew I would want to visit. She drove me past Graceland, Sun Studios and Stax Records and all the time she pointed out the various communities and neighbourhoods she thought were safe and the ones she said I must not walk in alone. She was born and bred in Memphis and was proud of her city, but knew it had been through the wars in it's turbulent past and still had some areas affected by more recent financial depression. She had a big laugh and a big heart and was a real blessing.
Of course, as you all know, I made Graceland my first port of call on my first full day in Memphis, but apart from saying again just how great it was - you will need to see my previous blog for full details of that magical day.
I then met a bloke from Michigan who was staying in the same hotel as me and we spent the next few days touring the different sights together and spending our evenings on the world famous Beale Street. After the country music of Nashville, I was now enjoying the Blues and the Rock 'n' Roll of Memphis. I visited Sun Studios, Stax Studios, the Gibson Guitar Factory and the incredibly challenging National Civil Rights Museum, erected at the location of the hotel where Martin Luther King was assassinated in April 1968. Jeff and I took a river boat trip down the mighty Mississippi River and managed to dodge the sudden and torrential rain storms when they came, before baking once more in the hot and humid Tennessee weather.
The black cross marks the spot Elvis was standing when he recorded 'That's All Right'
Q2. The Million Dollar Quartet in Sun Studios in 1956 - can you name them all?
The Lorraine Hotel and the National Civil Rights Museum - an amazing exhibition
Blues on Beale Street
M - i - ss - i - ss - i - pp - i
From Memphis I took my final Greyhound (11 hours) to New Orleans, and I had a fabulous time in this hot and steamy part of the United States. The food, the music (now predominantly jazz) and the sights were again quite remarkable. I spent my days visiting galleries, museums and attractions and my evenings enjoying the less seedy aspects of Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street. From Louis Armstrong Park to the architecture of the French Quarter, the awesome World War II Museum to Mardi Gras World - New Orleans was a wonder and so easy to navigate on foot.
Louis Armstrong's first cornet
Cheers to Lisa, Michael and Yvonna
Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans with lethal force in 2005 and they are still recovering years later
But they are getting there
Former rulers of New Orleans and the future President of the United States of America
Finally, it was time to leave the USA, but it seemed I had a final adventure in store. Direct flights from the US to Santiago were simply outrageous. So I looked at options with multiple stops to take the cost down. Remarkably, it was far cheaper to fly around the States and then head off to Santiago, rather than to go direct. Houston to Los Angeles to Dallas was one option, other options included Miami, New York and Panama. I ended up choosing a flight from New Orleans to New York (some 1200 miles) then New York to Atlanta, Georgia (756 miles) before finally flying overnight from Atlanta to Santiago (9.5 hrs and 4730 miles.) However, my New York departure was delayed and I ended up missing my onward flight to Chile. The Delta Rep said I would have to stay in an Atlanta hotel for the night and return to the airport for a flight 24 hours later. Fortunately, I was not alone. I had met a lovely Chilean woman called Sophie and as we were in the same boat, we decided to keep each other company. We had breakfast together the next morning at our hotel and then went into downtown Atlanta to visit the Coca-Cola Museum. After lunch we then returned to the airport to wait. Annoyingly, our flight out that night was also delayed! But, I finally left the US and arrived in Santiago. After writing a short, but eloquent letter of complaint to Delta, I have received a written apology and a voucher for £100 from KLM. I didn't tell them that I enjoyed my extra day in Atlanta!
Q3. Who created Coca-Cola?
Sophie and I made the most of our 24 hour stop-over in Atlanta
Anyway,
I want to say thank you America. I had a most unexpected and unplanned fabulous time. I travelled through a dozen States and experienced the best of people, music, food, weather and attractions. I only hope that you fare so well if you make it over to the UK. I feel we can be far less gracious as hosts when it comes to hotels, restaurants and customer care.
Thank you.
Paul
Q1. - 'Easy Rider' - 1969 (the year I was born) - Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper
Q2. - 'The Million Dollar Quartet' - Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis
Q3. - 'Coca-Cola Creator' - John Pemberton
Yet another good read Paul, I do hope you try and get this adventure published xx
ReplyDelete