Before leaving toward Nashville we stopped by Graceland and the rock and soul museum. That Elvis was something else huh?! The number of hits and that charm, that’s a star. Why do they always die young?

A night out on Beale street! Let’s start with the funniest encounter. There at one of the clubs in Memphis, we saw a Swedish band perform – the Swedish Rockabillies. It wasn’t completely serendipitous as Ramzi’s cousin had looked them up, but it was a complete surprise to me! Apparently they’re recording an album in Nashville and were performing in Memphis during Elvis week, and they all look like Elvis. They were good and I think the audience loved them.
Then we moved on to some real blues and soul at B.B. King’s and an amazing cover band at Alfred’s. When we walked into Alfred’s, both Ramzi and I thought there was a dj playing Michael Jackson, but no two singers, a man and a woman, together perfectly recreated MJ’s Billie Jean. It was great to hear live music out of every bar, i really think every bar should have live music now! Fun fun night and a lot of talent in Memphis!

We went to Sun Studios, the little place Elvis walked into and recorded his first song. Since then almost every major artist has recorded in that studio. It’s pretty cool to stand in the same spot as the legends that shaped American culture. We also took a quick tour of Beale street, the birthplace of blues clubs. B.B. King still has a club there. All this in muggy 100+ weather

On the seventh day of our journey we left NOLA to go to the birthplace of rock n roll and blues – Memphis! On the way we stumbled upon a really good smokehouse in Mississippi called Bowie’s smokehouse. It seems to have belonged to the predecessor of the most interesting man in the world. An excerpt of his life says that “he never killed a man out of battle except once…”.

It’s drizzling today but we’re being good tourists anyways. We had the famous muffuletta sandwich for lunch, took a mule carriage tour through the French quarter and learned some of new Orleans interesting history, had juice and beignets at café du monde, and now we’re on a city bus tour. We have decided to cut our stay here short because of the imminent storm coming. So we better see everything there is to see today.

We hit bourbon street as soon as we got to NO. It’s amazingly fun! 3 for 1 drinks everywhere, a different live band in every bar, drinking in the streets, drinking while petting the police horse… happy fun people everywhere!

Day 5 started bright and early. We made it to Lafayette around lunch time and met up with some relatives of Ramzi’s for lunch. We got introduced to amazing Louisiana cuisine and had alligator, seafood gumbo, crawfish, shrimp, oysters, and crab. Very very good! Then we continued to New Orleans and our hotel monteleone.

Dallas is still hot! In fact it’s too hot to walk outside, sit outside, or do any kind of activity outside. We therefore opted for indoor activities such as “Bodies”, the exhibition of real human bodies. Fascinating! I’ve heard the bodies they use in the exhibition are Chinese prisoners, but the museum personnel said that all the specimen died of natural causes and that in China when you die you’re either cremated or your body goes to science (?!). Cool stuff anyways.
Then we went to the “sixth floor museum” which is in the building from which Oswald supposedly assassinated JFK. Interesting for conspiracy theorists like me!
We have also continued the tradition of good food. Excellent BBQ at Sonny Brian’s and tapas and sangria at Cafe Madrid. We also walked by an interesting wine bar, Bodega wine bar, where you can get a private booth facing the street that closes with curtains from the rest of the restaurant. Bring your dates there Dallas!
Ending this one with my favorite quote: “wine is the most civilized thing in the world” – Ernest Hemingway

Omg is it hot here! I feel it’s too hot even in the shade. We relaxed by the pool for a couple of hours before heading to wine tasting at times ten cellars. Most of the grapes were imported from Cali but the wine was pretty good and it was a fun place. Dinner consisted of steak of course, when in Texas… Great filet mignon at YO steakhouse!

We literally drove all night. I took the first leg, 6 hrs from the grand canyon to Albuquerque, then Ramzi drove about 5 hrs from Albuquerque to Amarillo while I slept, then I drove another 4 hrs from Amarillo to Fort Worth. In about 45 minutes we’ll be in Dallas. Amazingly smooth 17 hr drive I must say, and mostly beautiful landscape. Pictures show sunset in new Mexico and sunrise in Texas!