Viva La Memphis

Graceland

Home of the King

Elvis Presley

• Standing at the gates just like Elvis did when he bought this beautiful home at the age of 21. He bought Graceland for $102,500 in 1957.

• This was Elvis' formal living room and dining room. Also, during our audio tour Chris and I just couldn't pass up taking a picture with Elvis.

• Next on the tour was the kitchen, TV room, and the pool table room. The TV room was really cool because he decorated it with the "TCB" lighting bolt moto. TCB means Taking Care of Business. As you will see Elvis loved his blue suede..... couch.

Elvis had to have 3 TV's in his room because that is the only way he could watch the 3 nightly news shows. He did this because that is how the President did it!

• Next to the TV room was his pool room. Here Elvis and his entourage would play some pool and just have fun. The ceiling and walls are covered with close to 400 yards of pleated cotton fabric!

• The Jungle room was something that Elvis added on to his house. One thing he just had to have besides the "fake" fur couches was a waterfall. Oh yeah...... and don't forget the green shag carpet on the ceiling! The chair with the panda bear and guitar on it was Lisa Marie's favorite chair to sit on when she was little.

• The Trophy Room. When Elvis was alive this room was actually a racquetball court. It had a small bar with a sitting area so spectators could watch the game through the glass window. The small piano in the sitting area is significant because this is where Elvis played his last song before he died. Today the court is covered and the walls have his biggest accomplishments on it. Chris and I took a picture with one of his costumes he wore in Vegas.

• Elvis was buried in a cemetery in Memphis, but for security reasons his father decided to move him to his home he loved so much. Elvis lays next to his whole family, Grandma, Mom, and Dad. People still today pay their respects to the King.

• Outside the gates of Graceland is a huge wall. People who have visited Graceland sign the wall. Of course Chris and I had to show that we were there. Chris picked a spot that hopefully wont be written over in the years to come.

If you look closely Chris drew me with a belly for the baby and of course you can't forget about Dodger!

Our trip to Graceland was a blast. We were glad we waited in the heat and humidity to see such a great landmark.

Did you know:

1. Graceland is the 2nd most visited place in America. It gets out beat by the White House.
2. Elvis has sold over 1,300,000,000 albums world wide! More than any other musical group in the world, including the Beatles.
3. Elvis' autopsy detected 10 different drugs in his bloodstream:-(