Walkin' In Memphis

Tuesday 5/2/15

Tuesday morning we woke up really early and packed up our campsite.  Unfortunately there was not time to do things around the park but a lot seemed interesting and worthwhile for another time.  We had camped on wooden planked dock (not over water) with enough space for out car a picnic table.  It was a really cute campsite.  

We left to go into Nashville, TN and got stuck behind traffic.  We were stopped for so long that we had discussed getting out of the car and getting some food out of the trunk.  Just then we began driving and we made our way to the Greyhound station to pick up Becca.  Her bus was delayed so we had to wait where we were able to catch up on blogging a little.  And then Becca got off of her bus and it was very exciting to see her!  From this point on until Los Angeles Becca is a part of the “we” in the blog and will be writing part of the blog. 

After we were all together we went to the Nashville farmers market where LeeAnn and Becca got food.  

Becca also decided that one coffee was not enough so she got two coffees and drank them together.  In the cute area there were many coffee, sandwich, bakeries, and other small food shops including a stand with the winner of chopped.

After sitting and catching up for a bit we walked outside to Bicentennial Park where we saw an outdoor Tennessee historical timeline.  We learned many fun facts about the state.

We continued walking around Bicentennial Park and saw an area with tall columns with bells on top that play Tennessee songs on the hour every hour.  

We got lucky and happened to be there at the top of the hour.  It was fortunate for us because we were wondering about the significance of the columns.  On the inner circle of the columns there were placards for different musicians that were connected to the state and seemed like a walk of fame for musicians of Tennessee.  The dates were confusing because it seemed like for some the dates were birth to death and for others it was years of their careers.  This attraction was on one end of the park and on the other end was the state capital. 

We began walking towards the capital building, saw a few pretty birds including cardinals, and found ourselves at a WWII time capsule.  It was written that it was going to be opened in 2045 and seemed crazy in a positive way that they were going to dig up part of the park in the middle of a city.

We continued on our way and walked through an amphitheater that had a nice view of trees and the capital building.

 We had heard there was a Parthenon replica somewhere in the park and asked someone where we could find it.  They told us that we were at the wrong park even though the parks had a similar name (Centennial Park) which is what confused us.   Instead of finding the Parthenon replica we found metal carvings of Tennessee on the ground.  Each carving was representing a different county and the county it was representing was highlighted in a golden color.

Before going up the 144 steps (a random man said so) to the capital building we stopped at two more places.  There were water fountains spraying water that represented the rivers in Tennessee (Mississippi river being the biggest).  

Next to the water fountains we were excited to see a giant granite map of Tennessee on the ground.  LeeAnn walked the route we had driven the last few days and we took some pictures.  It was a very fascinating intricate and detailed map.

Finally we went up to the capital building where we had the option to take a free hour guided tour.  Instead we took a tour given by our very own LeeAnn who used a capital brochure to tell us about the different painting and fun facts about the building.  

One of the first things we learned is that the capital building in Nashville is one of the longest lasting capital buildings in the country in continuous use without moving because the architect opted to spend extra money to make the building out of longer lasting materials instead of cheaper material.  Statues and painting of Andrew Jackson were all over the building.  

We were extremely adventurous as we went into the offices of the State Treasury and met the State Treasurer as we held a brochure with a picture of his face.  Meir was confused why the guy on the brochure looked like the guy walking in…  Also, the secretary working at the desk of the office used an old seal machine to mark the offices seal for us to keep.  We were on our way upstairs when we walked by a table with blue books that were at least 3 inches thick.  They were free books with the state laws and people in political power with their job descriptions.  When we opened it, it seemed like a yearbook for politicians.  If we took it, it would be used to kindle fires so we decided not to waste space in the car.  As we walked uo the stairs we read and saw a bullet hole in the hand railing that was from when African America rights were trying to be passed.  Legislators tried to leave and the guards shot at them until they went back in and then the bill past (unclear if there were casualties).  Also check the facts because we might have just made up some of the history…  We walked upstairs and went into the Legislature Room where LeeAnn was reminded of going to vote with her grandpa (former state senator) in Annapolis Maryland.  

We continued into the library room which had interesting colors, a spiral staircase, and faces of famous historical figures on the railing of the second level.  A fun fact is that the faces were bought in a catalog.

We took the car into the library parking garage where LeeAnn and Meir ate lunch and Becca slept.  After lunch and sleep we walked around downtown Nashville.  We first went to the Ryman where the Grand Ole Opry used to take place.   

We found the free Tennessee state museum where LeeAnn and Becca did middle school and high school scavenger hunts finding interesting things arounf the museum.  

Meir and LeeAnn played checkers and Becca dressed up as a settler.  

There was also an interesting exhibit where it explained people migrating from the east to Tennessee via wagon and what was necessary and not necessary to bring for the voyage.  Pewter plates were necessary because making them when landing in Tennessee was not an option.  

When we left there, we stopped by the country music hall of fame which was closed, but there was an open hallway where we saw a few exhibits of clothing and paraphernalia from famous singers.  

There was also artwork and a cute shop that we couldn't afford but had fun looking around.

On the way to Broadway we took a picture outside of the Johnny Cash museum. 

We could use one of these!

Then we walked towards Broadway where we saw lots of different fun shops including a candy shop with fudge (loved the free samples) and a boot store than had a buy one pair of boots get 3 free pairs.

Such a great deal!  The only problem was that a pair of boots costs $400 so we left empty handed.

After walking by many bars we picked a few that was on our list of bars to go to at night.  While going back to the car to drop some things off and change for the night LeeAnn asked a man who was carrying a guitar if he was playing at a bar and he was playing at a place called Tootsies.  We saw him later that night!

At night we began at Coyote Ugly where Becca gave the big booty black bartender a run for her money.

People at the bar began ordering body shots, mostly older men.  Ewwwww.  As more people were coming in we decided to head out to go to a rooftop bar for some live music and “the best view Nashville”.  It was a nice view of the river and Tennessee Titans stadium, but did not meet the expectations that were presented to us.

The music was great and Meir loved it!  We continued our night at Honky Tonk where the live music was jamming and dancers were on the dance floor.

LeeAnn and Becca made fun of Meir’s dancing but Meir was channeling his inner Miles (Nativ).  From there we went to Tootsies where the main singer was in the top 10 on American Idol.  We sang, danced, liked the music and waved to our friend with the guitar who gave us a nod of appreciation that we showed up.

We left the bars and headed to the car where we needed to drive to Montgomery Bell State Park and set up camp.

We got there very late and put up the big tent for the first time for real.  We were all tired but stayed up long enough to write a few post cards before our heads fell back to our pillows.  What a full and fun day.

Wednesday morning we woke up and packed up camp.  We went to a diner called Loveless café where the biscuits melted in our mouths.  The cafe made jams that we spread on the biscuits and added a delicious fruity flavor (strawberry, peach, and blackberry). 

From there we continued on the 40 west to get to Memphis.  On the way, we stopped by Brownsville, TN, home of Tony Delk (an NBA player).

LeeAnn had seen a place called Mindfield on Roadside America.  It’s this huge sculpture (possibly the biggest in the world) made from old metal junk, that the builder keeps adding to.  It appears that a bunch of it is a memorial to family members, including his parents.  Meir thought it was a bit too strange, but LeeAnn and Becca thought it was pretty interesting.

After some photos there, we continued on to Memphis.  We knew we were camping out that night, so we decided with our timing to go to the campsite and set up camp before heading into the city.  At T.O Fuller State Park there were primitive campsites and not.  The primitive site was just an open area of grass, but you could still use the bathrooms, and it was significantly cheaper, so we decided to camp out there.  It was actually pretty comfortable, since we were on the grass instead of gravel or just dirt.

As we drove in, we ran into the campsite host.  Becca asked him if there were any animals we had to watch out for, and he said no, mostly just the ‘coons’, so we shouldn’t keep food in the tent.  “We also have fox and wildcats and …”.  Lions and tigers and bears… but no, no animals to beware of.

The second we stepped out of the car, we were ambushed by mosquitoes.  It was so uncomfortable and itchy and it took us way too long to find as we started pitching the tent, we decided we all just wanted a quiet evening, and we’d leave Memphis for the next day.  As Becca and LeeAnn set up camp, Meir cooked pasta with tomato paste and tuna, and then warmed up minestrone soup.  It was a great dinner, and we saw so many stars, and Jupiter and Saturn were out early.  Becca noticed the moon, so we all got up to check it out.  Almost full that night!

After clean up we played a few rounds of cards (Castle/Elmo) in the tent before heading to bed.  Becca cried herself to sleep because, even with Meir and LeeAnn trying to help her win, she managed to lose every game.

Thursday morning we got up and went into Memphis.  Our first stop was the National Civil Rights Museum, but we just looked around and took pictures outside of the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King JR was shot.

We noticed a woman across the street protesting, and went over to find out what.  The first thing we noticed was a sign saying she had been there for almost 30 years.

After reading some signs while walking across the street, it became clear that she was upset that the museum made so much money without contributing any to the causes that MLK stood for.  Apparently, she had been the last person to be kicked out of her apartment in the hotel, and she has been protesting ever since (at times with help from others).  http://www.fulfillthedream.net/pages/mlk.jsmith1.html

After saying bye to her, we noticed the Blues Hall of Fame across the street so we walked in.  We didn't feel like paying, but they had a cool photography exhibit in the entrance (by a guy who went to BU where LeeAnn went!) so we checked that out before moving on.

We walked down the street and found some cool art along the road.

We also stopped in at a healthy pop up bakery (gluten free, vegan, peanut free, most other things you can imagine) and met the owner.  We tried some of his avocado brownies which were actually quite good.  He decorated the store with art from local artists, which were all very impressive.

Down the street was the Orpheum Theater so we got a photo outside of it.  We then ended up on Main Street, where Meir and LeeAnn went into the Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art.

Talk about a confusing place.  We went in hoping to figure out what the connection between the two was.  Turns out there wasn’t really one, only that the collector is Jewish but likes Chinese artwork.  Despite the lack of connection, it was a nice museum, with a particularly good Holocaust exhibit and great art, both Judaic and Asian.

Becca meanwhile went for a walk along the street, enjoying the warm weather.

We then met back up to look for lunch.  We went to Huey’s, an awesome burger joint where you can get any of the burgers made with either a veggie or black bean burger.  Being as curious and good at sharing as we all are, we all got veggie things and shared.  We got a tuna steak sandwich (LeeAnn’s favorite), black bean guacamole, and veggie with a sunny side up egg and cheese (not as good as it sounded).  The best part about the place was the game they let you play.  They’ll give you a cup full of straws and the toothpick sticks that delis use in sandwiches.  You put a stick into the straw, and blow it at the ceiling with the goal of having it stick (it’s one of those paneled ceilings).

It took a little while to get the hang, but we all got them.  We learned that every once in a while they take them down and count them and make donations matching the number of toothpicks in the ceiling.

We moved on from there and went to the Peabody Hotel, which has ducks in the lobby!

We’re still not sure what keeps the ducks in the fountain, and why they don’t just leave and walk around the whole place.  After enjoying the air conditioning for a little we continued across a bridge to Mud Island River Park. 

The park was a large island right on the Mississippi River where they have a very long in the floor carving of the Mississippi.  We got to put our feet in the mini replica which had some water flowing in it and walk down the “river”.

We spent about 45 minutes walking in this beautiful area right by the actual Mississippi and then had to head back across the bridge because the park closed at 5pm.  The end of out walk down the carving of the river was fun because we ended close to New Orleans where we were headed to on Friday.

After crossing the bridge we were going to head back to the car to drive around a little before night time.  We walked by the minor league baseball stadium, Fed Ex Forum (NBA- Grizzlies stadium), and the fire museum.  We had no interest in going to the fire museum because they simulate what it is like to be in a real fire (Meir did not need the simulation).

We got to the car and drove towards a bike gate we had read about.

It was a very colorful gate and a part of a park.  On our way to the bike gate we saw Rhodes College so we swung by there to see the campus, take some pictures, and check out their restroom facilities.

We made a quick turnaround back to downtown for a night on the town.  Prior to walking to Beale St. we parked the car to eat a few cans and pregame out night.  The street was a little dark and sketchy especially because another car parked there and they were chilling in their care for a while.  After Becca got bit up by mosquitoes, we went down to Beale St. and began walking down the packed road.

We saw some funny signs and some cute shops and then found a karaoke bar.  We got two very large cups of beer, sat in front of a T.V. to watch game 1 of the NBA Finals, and listened to some good singers and some awful singers.

Becca and LeeAnn went up to sing “Before He Cheats” while Meir continued watching the game.

Becca convinced Meir to sing “Sally that Girl” as the basketball game was coming to an end.  Meir was very nervous about singing during the pivotal last two minutes but luckily they did not have the song so we watched the end of the game.  Becca convinced Meir again to sing and this time they were going to sing “Baby Got Back”.  It didn’t go quite as planned.

Becca was awesome, it’s unclear what Meir was doing.  He didn’t know the lyrics, so instead of reading along, like you’re supposed to do in karaoke, we think he tried making his own mash-up of both songs, “Sally Got Back”.  He just kept interrupting and saying Sallllllyyyyyyyyy, while Becca was rapping like a pro.  When they finished the song, LeeAnn was already standing in their path with their stuff and shoved them out of the bar to avoid any more embarrassment.

We walked down the street, and Becca realized she left her credit card for the tab, and had to run back.  When she got back we went into another bar called Rum Boogie Café where there was live music.

LeeAnn loved the blues music (wanted to stay all night) and we left a signed dollar bill on the wall (tradition that brings people luck).  On the way back to the car we stopped at a statue of Elvis to take a few pictures and then head back to our campsite.

We got back to our tent a little late but needed to get sleep before our drive to New Orleans the next day.  (We passed a turtle crossing sign! but missed the picture... That turtle back in Maine could've used the sign...)

Friday morning we got up, packed up our stuff and went to the Chucalissa Museum near the campground before heading out of Tennessee.

It was a nice small museum where we saw a short video about Native Americans and then played with musical instruments.

The video felt like a middle school report.  It was not exactly the most impressive.

The museum part was pretty interesting, though very small.  There was also a cool chart that said how recently they’ve seen different animals.  Sounds like there are quite a few in the area.

Outside was also a bit less exciting than we’d anticipated.  Granted, we didn’t do the whole trail, but we thought that the outside part would have more.  There was a cool little house, but that was about it.

We then headed out, on our way from Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA.  We took 61 South, which we thought may be a more scenic route.  It ended up being a lot of nothing.  We tried to stop by a Roadside America recommendation, but didn’t find it.

We found another stop though, the Shack Up Inn, which had a dinky town feel, but was pretty cute, though in the middle of nowhere.

The bar/ music venue

Around lunchtime we decided we wanted a typical southern 1 meat 3 side meal since we were in Mississippi (we’d heard you could just get 4 sides instead of the meat).  We decided on a restaurant we saw called Fat Baby’s Catfish House in Cleveland, MS.

Our waitress was a cute southern woman, who was great with recommendations.  We noticed on the menu that some of the “meat” was tilapia, so we decided to get 2 tilapias with 3 sides each, and then 4 other sides.  Turns out we probably could have done with just the first two meals, but it was definitely fun trying so many typically southern foods.  Choosing the sides was the hardest part.  LeeAnn asked the waitress what a hushpuppy was, to which the waitress responded, “You’ve never had a hushpuppy?”, so of course we ordered them.  Unfortunately the refried beans were not vegetarian, so that option was out, but we got fried okra, fried corn balls, fried onions, rice pilaf, green beans, corn bread, a biscuit (not as good as from Loveless), and Becca got catfish gumbo.  Though it was an incredibly heavy meal, full of fried things, it was delicious and totally worth it.  We definitely got our taste of the south.

We left there and planned to stop at a few more Roadside America sites,  (LeeAnn was driving and following the same truck for most of the time)

(Don't worry, we got a picture of the truck!)

but instead we got distracted by a sign for a toy and doll museum in Vicksburg, MS.  Both that and the Coca Cola museum (who knew there was another one not in Atlanta) were closed,

but we had a quick pit stop in what turned out to be a Magic store (as in the cards) and then got a beautiful drive with views of the Mississippi River back to the road.  We continued down the 61 to the 28 east so we could take the 55 South to the 10 east to New Orleans.  Meir felt a piece of Los Angeles as he got onto the 10 even if it was in Louisiana.  As we looked at the remainder of our drive for the day we discovered that we were much further than we’d anticipated, and probably would not make it in time for Shabbat.  We had already asked the Chabad rabbi if we could join him for Shabbat dinner, so we sent him a quick text explaining that we wouldn’t make it.  Instead, we stopped by a grocery store and picked up salad, guacamole, and fruit salad ingredients.

We got to New Orleans where we had planned to stay at our friend from Nativ Aaron’s house.  He was not home at night but left us a key and told us about the place.  He was living in the Avodah house with 9 people so it was a huge house.  After bumpy roads and lots of construction, we got our bags in the house, fixed up a really nice meal, and ate.  We all fell asleep in the basement pretty easily as we were very tired although the large flying bugs added some extra excitement.