May 31, 2012

#83 Graceland

Graceland

101_3676

Graceland is A LOT smaller than I had pictured it.  It's not actually a mansion, more like a fairly large house, and it is just a 70s swag as you may have envisioned.

The famous gates were open so I couldn't get a great picture...
101_3837

101_3833

101_3788

101_3789

101_3793
Over the front door.

101_3677

101_3678

101_3679
The famous 8 ft. white couch

101_3680
The King never allowed guests upstairs, and it is still off limits to visitors today.

101_3682
His parents' room and bath
101_3683

101_3684
Dining Room

101_3686
Kitchen with state of the art appliances!

101_3687

101_3688

101_3695
Basement living room area w/bar  (there was a bar in every room, basically.)

101_3696

101_3698
Touch my ceramic monkey.

101_3699

101_3700

101_3701
Pool table/Rec Room

101_3702
Look at these fabrics ... can you imagine looking at them high on Quaaludes?

101_3705

101_3706
Why yes, that is green shag carpeting on the walls and ceiling of that stairwell.  These stairs could only lead one place...

THE JUNGLE ROOM!
101_3708

101_3709

101_3710

101_3711

101_3717
Lisa Marie's swingset

101_3723
Love this sign of the office door.

101_3720
Green phones, blue typewriters, industrial adding machines...the pinnacle of modern office technology.

101_3726
Grounds

101_3727
This building housed the racquet ball court and gym.  Now it's more a museum display of Elvis outfits and memorabilia.

101_3730
Back of the house

101_3783
The pool

101_3755
The curtains used to pull back to reveal the racquet ball court.  This is the old gym building...obviously it was only for very serious workouts!  

101_3756
Especially if your workout included the need for a beverage.  I believe the tour said that Elvis didn't actually drink, but kept all kinds of beverages on hand for his guests.

101_3759

101_3764

101_3768
This cross was originally marking his mother's grave at a public cemetery.  When they moved the family to Graceland the figures were added.

101_3770

101_3771

101_3772
Elvis' twin brother remains buried in Mississippi, but they've placed memorial marker at Graceland.

101_3773
His mother

101_3776
His father

101_3781
and his grandmother are all buried at Graceland.  Poor Minnie Mae outlived them all.

The King:
101_3777

101_3778
an eternal flame...especially for LaNae.

101_3779
TCB = Takin' Care of Business - with the lightning bolt it was his "thing".  You can see it on the wall of the basement room (yellow w/monkey), as well as throughout Graceland and his plane.

101_3780
One of my first memories is of watching coverage on TV of Elvis' death. I would have been about 3 months shy of my 4th birthday.

101_3802
The famous Pink Cadillac

101_3807
I have to say the guys that were wandering the car museum were in awe.  I was like, "hey, that's a crazy purple car."

101_3809
I took this photo for Nikita...I am sure it is her dream car.

Da Plane, Da Plane!
101_3813

101_3814

101_3816

101_3817

101_3818
The seat belts throughout the plane are 24 karat gold.

101_3819

101_3820

101_3822

101_3826
Elvis' bedroom on the Lisa Marie; it too had a 24k gold seat belt, as per FAA regulation (the belt, not the 24k gold).
101_3827

101_3829

The "tiny" plane.
101_3830
I love the color scheme.

101_3831

101_3832

This was definitely something to see, but I was surprised by how small it really was, and surprised by how devoted his fans still are.  We had a couple of kids in their 20s in our group and I never could decide whether their enthusiasm was sarcastic and kitschy or genuine, but for most of the people there is was unquestionable that they loved Elvis Presley.