About Town

My sister and her husband drove from Michigan 

to visit with us this past weekend.

We did a lot of sightseeing during their three days in Memphis.

The first stop was this museum.

So much music . . .

Afterwards, we walked to the new Beale Street Landing 

along the Mighty Mississippi.

This is where the new Queen of the Mississippi riverboat

loads and unloads her passengers.

Looking up river towards Mud Island and the Hernando DeSoto bridge 

(aka the "new" bridge or the I-40 bridge)

between Memphis, TN and West Memphis, AR.

Looking down river towards the "old" bridge,

which is actually three bridges side by side.

This is a much closer view of the Memphis and Arkansas (aka I-55) bridge,

taken from E.H. Crump Park.

Late in the afternoon, we walked out on the pedestrian sidewalk

that runs alongside the busy (!) highway.

The views really were spectacular and I made it about

1/3 of the way across before turning back.

The 18-wheelers (moving at 55 mph, give or take)

caused a little too much vibration in the walking surface.

(not to mention a lot of air turbulence)

Saturday we spent nearly three hours here.

Powerful, moving, and intense, 

the experience was nothing like

the sanitized chapters of our middle and high school texts.

We drove past Graceland . . .

. . . ate dinner here,

then spent the early evening walking up and down Beale Street.

Sunday was my birthday.

We enjoyed fabulous fried chicken for lunch . . .

. . . then visited the "Jade Museum"

(properly called the Belz Museum of Asian and Judiac Art)

The jade and jewel-adorned elephants (shown above)

stand quietly behind a pair of tiger -eye horses,

jade and rose quarts camels, white quartz horses,

and magnificent green jade horses.

Carved and created from jade,

this horse and carriage never fail to astonish.

So many intricate and story-filled objects to behold!

* * *

What a family- and fun-filled weekend!

Quiltdivajulie