ON THE MISSISSIPPI AT MEMPHIS

What a gorgeous country but I couldn’t deal with the weather. We have been dodging bad weather since we left Oklahoma. The days are beautiful and sunny but that is deceptive. Two tornadoes hit near the park we were in Oklahoma shortly after we left. Near Little Rock we sat out severe storm warnings and here near Memphis a tornado watch. Thankfully they did not appear so I hope our luck holds out.

We love this park in West Memphis, Arkansas across the river from Memphis. There is green all around and we are right on the shore of the Mississippi River. Barges (some up to a half mile long) go by our doorstep and the world’s largest tugboat is here. Across the river is all trees. The sites for RVs are huge and there are full hookups. Who could ask for more?

Yesterday we ventured into Memphis itself and had lunch at the famed Peabody Hotel. It is famous because twice a day a group of ducks waddles across its own red carpet to the fountain in the lobby to the strains of a Sousa March. Unfortunately, we missed their morning parade at 11. In the meantime, they were very happy at the fountain.

Of course we had to take a cruise on the river on a paddle wheel steamboat. In a strong southern accent, the narrator told of the history of the river. According to him, the river banks of this stretch of the Mississippi are more of a wilderness now than they were when the steamboats plied the river with their cargoes. This is because there were small town regularly spaced along the river then to supply the fuel needs for the steam. It is certainly true by our park. No sight of civilization anywhere.

We were surprised how small Memphis really is. We peeked at Beale Street, home of the blues and the new Hernando De Soto bridge and heard that this town is where Danny Thomas established the St. Jude Hospital for Children.