CAMP AT HOT SPRINGS

Here are a few pics of "camp J J"

THE SPA EXPERIENCE

Here are just a few glimpses into the spa of yesterday!

HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS

Nov.3
We had no idea when we set out from Memphis what a beautiful place we would find. Hot Springs Ark. We found a beautiful and peaceful camp-J&J RV Park. We were greeted by the owner,JJ on the front porch of his office- it was as if he was welcoming long lost friends back home again! We were in need of some r &r from colds we had caught in Memphis-and somehow we knew we had arrived at just the perfect place for us.
We found our "spot"-backed up to a pretty little creek and beautiful old oak trees.
The park was heaven-green slopes and pretty plantings-bright colored wood furniture and farm tools scattered around-very "country living magazine feeling"
We settled in for the night-happy to be just exactly where we were!
Nov. 4
We woke up to a nice rain shower-not heavy-just perfect. it lasted just a short time-and now we could go out and wander a bit in the park. there were trails to walk, and hills to climb-Ginger seemed to be right at home here.
for the next few days we just relaxed and took care of ourselves-and coughed a bunch at times-but all in all we were feeling much better. We took one afternoon to just sit by the water-let ginger get in the creek a bit-and enjoy the event of the sun shining again.
Nov. 7
Today we ventured into town-and took a drive through the nat. park,too. Fall had arrived with gorgeous colors here-the day was perfect to check out the historic district-and the bathhouses. At the turn of the century Hot Springs was famous for its bathhouses-and healing therapeutic hot springs. The Federal gov. has done a great job in preserving and rehabbing the buildings. There is a beautiful walking promenade-a great place to check out old and new. The town is really interesting-very cool little shops, old hotels and of course the bathhouses. We took a tour of one-it has been made into a museum-totally recreates the "bathing" experience of the old days. All of the old equipment is on display-really fun to see-and a little scary too.
Amazing how far we have come from the first "spa experience" to now!
We had breakfast at a beautiful old hotel-learned all about how Al Capone spent a lot of time there-hiding out-getting his alcohol and basking in the elegance of the hotel-he had a private suite there-and we could have taken a tour of it-the hotel keeps it just as it was when Mr Capone stayed there.
We had a great afternoon seeing really neat things-and on the way home I got to go to a huge rock shop! I think Mike thinks I am a little nutty about trees and rocks and such-but I just am what I am!
Tomorrow we leave for Texas!!

GION' TO GRACELAND,GRACELAND,GRACELAND TENNESSEE

Nov 2nd
So, today is the day-Graceland here we come. Actually-we were just going to drive by the place, and be done with it-but no, we are doing the whole tour thing.
We are camped right across the street from Graceland-we pick up the shuttle at the hotel(yes,the Heartbreak Hotel) the hotel lobby is worth looking into-it is like walking into somebodies living room in the 1950's-they have some fun furniture-and an old tv set on feet with bunny ears-and of course, Elvis runs on it 24/7.
Finally the shuttle comes-and off we go. we drive out to "the mansion" and start our tour. Personally, I was disappointed-I really was expecting way over the top tacky-and I just saw plain tacky. The jungle room was just really ugly-no jungle that I could see. I hate to be negative here-but adjusting for a bad era of decoration in the first place-Elvis could have done better. It was interesting to see-glad we did-liked seeing the whole thing-maybe seeing some beautiful mansions across the country has something to do with it-but-well we did do Graceland.
Now all I can say is-the Gabbard's have left the building.

BEALE STREET-AND THE PEABODY DUCKS

Nov1st
After our tour of Sun Studios-we were on our way to Beale Street-but first, we had one stop to make-the Peabody Hotel, to see the famous Peabody Ducks"-really!
The Peabody Hotel is a beautiful upscale hotel downtown Memphis. There is a whole history of why there are ducks-but I won't go there. Just know that twice a day-the ducks are paraded to the huge fountain in the lobby-once in the morning-then again at 5pm they are taken back upstairs via a private elevator to their "ducky penthouse" on the roof of the hotel. It is a big production with music and a "duck master" presiding over the whole thing. It is pretty silly-but hey-when in Memphis...
So, after seeing the duck ceremony-and enjoying a great martini at the beautiful hotel bar-and the hotel is really beautiful-we hurried on down to Beale st.
Beale St. is a lot like going to the french quarter in New Orleans-it has the same look and feel-and smell kind of also! We had asked our guide at the Sun Studios where she liked to listen to music, and she told us several choices-so we has some idea where to go. There was a party atmosphere in the air-and on the street-everything was lit up and buzzing. There were a group of about five young men-very fit and shirtless-they make their money in the evenings by doing continuous back-flips and handsprings down the middle of the street-it is incredible and fun to witness-they just go and go and go! how they have any skin left on their hands after all this is a mystery-they have big paint buckets for people to put tips in-and they do get the tips! after watching this for a bit-we slipped into one of the bars for a drink-the band was just setting up-so after awhile, we decided to wander on down the street. There was music going on everywhere-on the street and in the clubs. We decided it was time for dinner-and headed on over to the Rendezvous for their famous ribs. The restaurant is well known-and happens to be in an alley-behind a few dumpsters-and if one did not know where they were going-well-they might think twice about their choice for the night! anyway-we went-it was great, and the atmosphere was fun-and funky. After dinner we walked up and down the street-shopped a little in a drugstore-it had been in business for over 125 years-in the same family all that time-that is cool. I bought some tea and necco wafers! We wandered down the street at the sound of some good music coming from outside a club- it was the Blues City Cafe-and the band was awesome! The lead singer was even more so-Ms. Zeno-the queen of Beale Street-and well names she was! It was part musical show-part comedy-but it was all great! After their show was done-we went to the original club-had one last cocktail-the band was great too-and then off to catch our shuttle. Tomorrow was another big day-Graceland.

WALKING IN MEMPHIS

Oct.31st-eve
We found our RV park-just had to turn right on lonely street-off of Elvis Presley Blvd.-really! Behind the Heartbreak Hotel-really! Well,m the park was cool-we found our spot-on Hound dog lane-fortunately not on Jailhouse rock lane-and got settled in. Originally we were to be on teddy bear way-but the space was too short. We had an early supper,and an early to bed eve-tomorrow was a big day!
Nov.1st
We found out that the shuttle for the Heartbreak Hotel would take us into town-actually it was a special shuttle for Sun Studio-the famous Sun Studio! We boarded the shuttle around 3pm and away we went. The traffic in downtown Memphis is not really bad-but there are areas that tourists should stay away from-so we were glad to be with an expert. We went inside the studio building and had to wait for a little while for our tour. Pretty soon a cute gal came out and escorted us all upstairs. there were great displays of all of the recording firsts of the studio, and the first equipment used. the guide played some of the first recordings done in the studio,that combined with pictures and some costumes and musical instruments and pics gave a good picture of "recordings in the day". We then went downstairs to the actual recording studio where Elvis made his first commercial recording-and learned that an assistant was really responsible for the "discovery" of Elvis Presley. The owner of Sun did not like him originally-after several please from his assistant- he met with Elvis again, then sent him next door to a coffee shop to "come up with something good". Elvis came back-recorded "thats all right mama" and history was made!
We were down in the recording studio-which is still used today,so was full of equipment-drums,piano, guitars etc. The pics on the walls were fantastic! After our tour was over-everyone that wanted to was able to get their picture taken with the original standing microphone that was used by Elvis,Johnny Cash,and many other famous voices. We had a great time learning the history of Sun-and it is our favorite tour that we have done so far!

FOR KRIS AND KATHY

here are some orchids for you both! they were sooo pretty-and just growing in the trunks of the trees-amazing!