Following Elvis Presley’s steps, kinda
Graceland, such a beautiful name… Here is my google review of it: “Two stars for Elvis and his Mansion. Not more because of the price. It’s $39 for an audio tour in the overcrowded bottom half of the house. Add to that $10 for the parking. And remove some stuff like the gold records and the cars. If you want to see them and learn about the King’s career you need to pay an extra $20. That’s ruining it for me, and ruining the image I have of the Presleys…” It’s a must do but a rip off too.
Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935, he was a twin but his brother was stillborn. He died in August 16, 1977 of heart failure in his bathroom in his Graceland mansion. The king bought the house in 1957 when he was only 22 years but already famous. He spent $102,500 on the mansion named Graceland by the previous owners. Elvis himself changed the decoration a few times, the last was in 1974. With a 15ft couch, green carpets, yellow vinyl walls or even a fake waterfall, the house is like a museum of 70s decorative arts. And it was opulent, tv room, horses, racquetball room, pool… Elvis also bought himself two planes, a falcon jet and a Convair 880 Jet. The latter used to be a passenger plane used by Delta airlines, he bought it a quarter of a million dollars in 1958 and spent three quarters of a million to renovate it to his taste, making it a flying house. He named it the Lisa Marie, the name of his only daughter.
We didn’t see more than the house and the two planes, Priscilla Presley (the ex wife) is asking way too much money.
Before leaving Memphis we grab a bite at the city’s oldest cafe, the Arcade, where the king used to eat.
We go back to Mississippi, South East of Memphis, to see the birthplace of Elvis. He grew up in Tupelo in a tiny house built by his father. The family of three was poor and sought opportunities by moving to Memphis in 1949.
