MEMPHIS

Well this is different! After the managers cocktail party last night (he was a misery!) we did enjoy a couple of red wines. I must say we have found it difficult to buy wine you have to look for a liquor store and they are hard to find. That is serious when your on your hols! There were some nice people at the hotel which made it interesting. After the party we went to bed to get up early for our bus to Memphis.
Breakfast was fruit,different cakes and bacon egg etc,very nice. Quite a few new arrivals this morning. We met Mary and Robert, now Robert was a definite forest gump,we couldn`t really understand him and he couldn`t understand us because afterwards we commented about the weather and he thought we were both weather reporters! Well they were in Nashville to Lobby for more social facilitys for their town. I told them what we had in England they couldn`t believe it. I reckon if we weren`t getting that Greyhound bus we would have gone with them.
Well the taxi arrived and took us to the station and what an eye opener that was. Most people hadn`t got a case just a plastic bag with there belongings in! The first coach had a flat tyre so we had to wait a while not taking our eyes off our bags. We finally got onto the coach and a lady moved so bri and I could sit together. We stopped in Jackson for 15minutes and when Brian used the toilet there was a sign that said "Ticket Holders Only Any Body Else Don`t Even Ask!" The houses were just how you imagine with rocking chairs on the porch and chickens in the garden.
Everybody shouts on the bus and they don`t mind whos listening Brian was listening to a girl who was talking about how she got on when she was a stripper! Dad I think you would have found it interesting.
Now when we arrived at Memphis Bri found a taxi. I was quite happy to get away from the station but nearly died when I saw the taxi. The driver reminded us of Jed Clampett out of the hillbillies. He was chewing a bit of wood ,his jumper needed an oil change and there was a bush growing out of each ear! The taxi looked like it should have been in the museum.The seats were ripped and it was filthy,plus everything rattled. Well he did get us to The Days Inn safely we paid him and he wished us luck and we wished him even more luck! As you can see in the photo the first room wasn`t up to scratch but they did move us. We have got another poolside room and this one is in the shape of a guitar. The room is great I`m joking,don`t know who I think I am. We`ve been for something to eat and Brian will report tomorrow. Thanks for all your emails
we love getting all the news. Goodnight Betty x x x x

MEMPHIS

LAST DAY IN NASHVILLE

Up this morning really early about 5.30 Betty did us a nice cup of tea,this makes a real change for me ,we don,t usually take it in turns it,s been my job for the last god knows how many years ,she must be going soft on me.Anyway i had to take a photo of the bed we have got in this room ,it must be nearly 7 foot wide,you could get another family in it,none of this elbow in the ribs during the night and how much of this bed do you want,or why don,t you get over your own side,you could loose each other,now that,s a thought?.Anyway we had a lovely breakfast,buffet style and were out for about 9.am,we have a short walk from the hotel where we can pick up the bus to downtown Nashville for $1.60,we went straight into the bus station which is called music city station and well organised and clean.So off we went for a tour of the Ryman Auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry as it is known,it really is quite a bit of history in the music world when you see a list of the people that have appeared there,it is all wooden pews that come round in a semi circle .We were getting a little peckish by the time we finished the tour so we went over to Demo,s restaurant where we had eaten the previous night,now this place can be highly recommended,the food, service and price was excellent.We had another walk around and visited the RCA music hall of fame building which was interesting,on the way back we called into the new Nashville Symphony Hall which is quite impressive,it seems strange really that just a couple of blocks away on Broadway you have got all the bars and clubs belting out live country music at all times during the day and just down the road is the symphony hall.Anyway everyone here is so friendly and out for a good time and they are all dressed up in cowboy boots and hats and all talking like Forest Gump.I would say if you like country music Nashville is a must see place,you could get cowboy boots buy 1 pair get 2 free,Betty was tempted(Ithink she likes the idea of being a cowgirl secretly).Anyway day over and back to the hotel,we have decided that we are doing a day each for this blog ,it leads to too many fall outs when we try and do it together.While i,m doing this Betty is listening to Elvis Presley on her I pod,she is getting ready for Memphis tomorrow.We will be taking the Greyhound Bus from Nashville to Memphis which should be interesting.So good night and Betty will speak tomorrow.

GOODBYE NEW YORK HELLO NASHVILLE

We checked out of the Radison after having a great time. It was all plain sailing getting to Nashville.It was a small plane and at first it was quite scary but all went well. Had a good sleep! A taxi took us to the hotel which is very comfortable. After sorting ourselves out we then took the bus into Nashville. We love it here everybody treats you as a long lost cousin. It wasn`t really as I imagined it was a lot smaller or perhaps that was after being in New York. Anyway there was so much music going on. we were so hungry and found a great grill and ate for England (and drank) we then made our way to the Full Moon bar where there were 3 girls singing. They were very entertaining. I loved the shops and almost bought some cowboy boots but you know what it`s like when you get them back home and wonder why! anyway I need to throw my old boring boots away. Brian has just got into the big bed and I`m jealous.,I`m so tired so will talk tomorrow goodnight bet x x

After we left the sight of the twin towers we made our way to the financial district and Wall street,it seemed such a small area considering the impact it makes on the rest of the world,after that a short walk to the new york police museum 1st precinct,only a small museum but very interesting.On then to the staten island ferry and passed the statue of liberty(we did that twice we had to come back),then it was off the ferry and pick up the tour bus back to 8th avenue and pick up an uptown tour going up past Central Park and the Dakota Building where John Lennon was shot and where Yoko Ono still lives,we ran alongside Central Park around Harlem and back down the other side of the park and alongside a lot of the New York museums.Lots of horse and carriages in central park despite the heavy snow still lying around,anyway back to 8th avenue and finish the tour.We walked down to the rockefeller centre and took yhe lift to the 70th floor for a view from the top of the rock,some view.After that a walk back to the hotel ,found ourselves a drink to take back and had something to eat close bye.Good night next stop Nasville.

LAST FULL DAY IN NEW YORK

OK we had another early start this morning ,my turn to get the tea at 6.30,betty took great pleasure in me getting up but anyway whats new,we were out just before 8.am and had breakfast just opposite hotel,really friendly people and nice breakfast.So off we went to Park avenue to have a look at Grand Central Station,this is a photograph of Betty looking on to the main concourse,it certainly is some building, New Street station will never seem the same.After a good look around we made our way to the sight seeing bus and took the downtown route getting off at Saint Pauls Church and the site of the twin towers.