Funny names, Downtown Memphis, to Vicksburg – 250
miles
We
are 1600 miles into the trip and have come across some funny place
names: Festus, Cahokia, Herculaneum, Pocahontas, Lithium, Braggadocio
and Yazoo.
At
Mud Island in the Miss R at Memphis we crossed to the island on the
monorail slung under a long walkway. Great view of the tugs working
up and down the river. They have laid an intricate half mile long
replica of the Mississippi from Cairo to NOLA. You walk along it and
read explanations of the various intricacies and towns along the
river. Very interesting.
We
caught a bus to Beale Street and we both had the impression that it
was trying (unsuccessfully) to duplicate the French Quarter in NOLA.
Of course it was about 11am but still there were very few people on
the street and the bars were sort of sad. The best place was A.
Schwab (If you can't find it at A. Schwab, you're better off without
it.) We sat at the old time soda fountain and had chocolate malts
for lunch. The store reminded me of an old time five and dime store
full of trinkets and odd stuff: whiskey flasks, leather pouches,
funny hats of all kinds, jams, jellies, spices, all kinds of toy
guns. We went to the Peabody Hotel, famous for its ducks. There are
four hens and one drake who live on the roof of the hotel and are
daily escorted by the Duck Master (really) down an elevator to the
ornate hotel lobby where they spend the day in the indoor fountain.
At five o'clock daily the Duck Master (really) cajoles them back to
the elevator and returns them to the roof. What a job. We then went
to St. Jude Children's Hospital, founded by Danny Thomas. Lisa
wanted to visit it and get some photos since she is a supporter.
Then off to the races.
The
drive to Vicksburg was not on a round about super highway but was a
direct route on a state road which was slower and a bit more tedious.
We took it on the advice of a woman at the info desk in Memphis.
The flatness of the cotton fields of Mississippi reminds me of Utah
with trees. If it were not for the trees and a few buildings, a
human would be the tallest thing standing. The cotton was in various
stages of maturity, some snow white tops and some sparse.
Got
to Vicksburg and had our first ever Chick-fil-A sandwiches for dinner
with our left over bbq beans and coleslaw from last nights meal. We
both agreed that it was a top rate sandwich and would go again.
Tomorrow
we head to the Civil War battlefield at Vicksburg, a crucial point in
the war and in Grant's career.
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