Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis was our second stop after visiting Hope, Arkansas.  This was yet another city that seemed a bit run down.  I did a little research on the city before we left, and my online searches revealed a lot of articles like "Is Memphis safe?"  Most of the people who responded to the articles stated that the crime rate there was pretty bad, but as long as you stayed in "tourist friendly" areas, you would be fine.  I'm happy to say we made it out without any incidents, but then again, we mostly kept to those "tourist friendly" areas:  Beale Street, Graceland, and the area around Sun Studios.  I'll be writing separate blog entries for Graceland and Sun Studios next.

I had heard so much about Beale Street before we arrived in Memphis.  This was the "birthplace of the blues", after all.  I was kind of disappointed.  The "action" on Beale Street, meaning the music clubs, restaurants, and bars, was only about 4 blocks long.  Both Christy and I said to each other "This is it?"  I was expecting something that rivaled New Orleans, but sadly, it didn't.  6th Street in downtown Austin has a more vibrant music scene today than Beale Street does now.

Memphis has a great musical history, and you can really get the feeling that this was once a very exciting city.  Many music legends once walked these streets, and you can (arguably) say that rock & roll was born here at Sun Studios on Union Ave.  But..that was the 50's.  In 2012, it just didn't seem that exciting anymore.