First day in Memphis

First everything went wrong.

Coming from the Kellogg’s company we had visited, the UBER driver brought us the the wrong place. And ccontinued to have problems to find the right place, Vista Inn, a three star drive-inn on Union Road in Downtown Memphis.

Then I dropped my toothbrush in the toilet bowl of our cheap but all American drive-inn.

Tried to buy some peanuts. They had honey roasted peanuts in a red packaging in the shop. Tortured peanuts. Who wants to be dipped in honey and then being roasted? Next to that red package there was a blue package that said “salted”. So I bought two packs of that. Found out later that they were cashew nuts.

Try to buy a beer in a bar the first time we went to Beale Street. The bartender looks at me and asks me for an ID. I am flattered, I look like 21? I frantically check my wallet. Forgot the Philippine driving license in the Philippines. No other ID. Nope. I won’t get a beer in this place. I am definitely one of these ultra fast aging teenagers. Strange country, this one.

Then everything went right

After checking in and a brief rest we went to Beale Street, home of the Blues and birthplace of Rock’n’Roll Roll. Friday night. We walked along the busy street, excited about the smell of BBQ, which Memphis is famous for, and the blues music coming from life bands from places called Coyote Ugly, Silky O’Sullivan’s , BLues CIty Cafe, Jerry Lee LEwis’ Cafe & Honky Tonk, BB KIngs, and Rum Boogie Cafe.

After some walking around we went to Silky O’Sullivan’s because they had life music and a table close by and no cue yet. Given the large meals we had over the last week we shared a burger.

The singer was a heavily overweight white old lady, who was squatting in a high chair, not a very pleasant view, but boy, the voice was good. And she entertained. She was accompanied by a piano player who also filled i. For percussion by stomping with his foot on the ground. They played Bludan soul and some Billy Joel songs.

I payed with a 100 dollar bill. The waiter asked “do you need change?” Without looking at it. “Yes I do” I said. Five minutes later he put the folder with the change back on our table and asked “Are you sure you really need change?”

Back on the road. A bunch of hobos were sitting at the suede of the road, observing the crowd and obviously having some fun. One held a sign “Too ugly to Prostitute”. Unfortunately I did not have change in my pocket.

We went to another place that had a nice sounding blues band. We got a table just in front of the band with black musicians. They played two songs and then packed up. Quite good. In the break two white guys looking a bit like roadies came up and were fixing a big contrabass and the guitar. Two more guys joined and there were the “Hillbilly Casino” band from Nashville Tennessee. “We play Johnny Cash, Elvis and some of our own songs” the singer said. Oh my, I thought, but then they started rocking and it became one of the best nights since a long time.

The singer always pulled out his comb and brushed back his hair, jumped around the stage like crazy, the guitar Player was just cool and the contrabass just fitted the sound perfectly. During the break we bought two t-shirts and their CD and had a chat with them. They had been to Germany and are going there again this year. We jokingly invited them to the Philippines.

The evening ended at 1:30 am on Saturday morning.