Elvis

Do not think I can give you an accurate sense of my feelings during this tour but will attempt to tell you a little about Graceland.

 Have always had the desire to go to Graceland and visit the home of Elvis and here I am.  The tour was set up so you rode a small bus up to the mansion entrance and you were given an audio headphone to listen as we walked thru the mansion.  As we entered the mansion we first saw the living room, the dining room, Elvis' mother's bedroom and the kitchen.   The decor was not as bad as I thought but then we got into the rest of the home.  The pool table room was too much, the walls and ceiling covered with 300 to 350 yards of green plaid, small pleaded fabric.   And then the family room--the jungle room with fur covered furniture and  jungle artifacts.  Oh boy, this was 70's out of this world!!!  Certainly not my style!!  The best and most interesting part of the tour were the rooms with all of Elvis' gold records and awards.  These were beautifully framed and lined the walls from top to bottom.  Hard to believe one man could have so many gold records.  There were also copies of checks that he had written to his favorite charites, mostly children's groups.  Elvis's weddding tuxedo and Pricilla's wedding dress are on display in this area along with a few baby idems of Lisa Marie's.   We did walk by the outdoor pool and saw the horse barns and fields but there are no horses on the property now.  Went into the racquetball court that he had built when he decided to play recquetball.  This building now is full of some of his most colorful and fancy jumpsuits and more walls covered with gold records and awads.  We then passed by the grave sites of his mother, father and grandfather and then, of course, the gravesite of Elvis.  Along the pathway to the exit there are dozens of tributes sent to the manion in memory of The King.  The come from all over the world, from fan clubs and individuals.  Any memorial send to the mansion is displayed until they are too weathered and are then destroyed.

Funny feelings for me walking thru the house where  Elvis lived and called home.  In some ways most things were so interesting and sometimes it felt almost like a funeral .  Most people seemed to walk thru the mansion without speaking or if anyone spoke it was in hushed tones.  Funny reactions by everyone, including myself.  Am I an Elvis fan,?   Yes, of course and I always will be.