PICTURES RECOVERED - MORE OF MEMPHIS FROM JULY

July 12, 2014
Mo-Jo Bus Tour,  Cotton Exchange and Peabody Hotel
We began our day by walking all of two blocks of Beale Street before catching our bus for a tour.

Old facade is all of the original building left on Beale St.

The oldest building on Bealle St. still in use.

Our bus tour included many sights and included a singing guitar player for entertainment.  His narration was very interesting.

We did not go to Graceland this trip as we had been there in 2012 or 2013.  

Of course, so much of any tour of Memphis centers around Elvis and the Cotton Exchange.

Window in corner was in the apartment where Elvis and
his parents moved to when first coming to Memphis.

Sun Studios where Elvis recorded.

Band shell where Elvis performed his first public appearance.

When the crowd seated out over the hill side lawn, requested an encore, Elvis did not know what to expect and was not prepared.  They told him to just get back out there and sing.  So he did, the same two songs again!  The crowd was happy!

From there the tour guide pointed out the motel where Martin Luther King was shot.

The wreath marks the spot.

 After leaving the bus tour, we started out on foot to further explore some of the buildings that our guide had pointed out.  We began with the Cotton Exchange with much information of a by-gone era.

Beautiful brass entrance!!

The beginning of the stock and cotton exchange history.

Cotton bale

Gary walking down the street, noticing a placard
about John Grisham and his book The Firm.

On to the Peabody Hotel.  It has a grand reputation and appearance.  So much so that the ducks arrive as punctual as clock work from the roof top, using the elevator, to swim for a few hours in the lobby fountain to cool off.  

Only two ducks in view at this moment.

Elvis is also on display here, another claim
to fame for the hotel.

Front window of a gift shop in the lobby,
looks a little too upscale for me.
Can you imagine what these chandeliers
might cost?

In front of the Peabody, former era transport,
but modern day communication!!

Picture of the Exchange in action in it's hey day.

Chalk Marker days come to an end in 1978
when replaced by computer.

Can you imagine working there all day?

1966 Memphis Cotton Festival

Loew's Palace Theater razed in the 1980's.

Back on Beale Street for end of day.

I was so glad to have recovered some of the pictures from a program that would not respond to any of my commands.  I am now working mostly with Picasa, not that I like it as well!!  I sure wish that I could find a Creative Memories Expert (although CM is now out of business), who could solve my problems (if they are solvable).
End result of course, is that I could get more of our memories in for the year of 2014 before I have our hard back printed.  We sure think that we will enjoy them in our rocking chair days!!
Keep your fingers crossed for more pictures to replace those that I lost.  I am hoping that my sister can replace some from the family visits, if she can find her prints.  I will never be able to replace the ones of Gary's niece in Missouri and his cousin in New Mexico as we were the only ones taking pictures.  The sight seeing in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico can be redone in future trips.
Take care and check back.  I will catch you up on our life here in Mesa next.