Petit-déjeuner avec tous les sismologistes, fruits frais, café et muffins puis Jens va assister à la conférence. Tout se passe dans l’hôtel. En même temps que le meeting de la SSA (Seismic Society of America) il y a aussi un meeting de la « Church of God in Christ » (Eglise de Dieu en Jésus?). Apparemment c’est une église fréquentée par les Noirs. La réunion est non pas pour les fidèles mais une réunion de pasteurs, tous noirs, très bien habillés et … très corpulents. Certains ont leurs femmes avec eux et elles sont très élégantes, jolies robes, chapeau et gants. Nous nous sommes trouvés dans l’ascenseur avec un pasteur et quand nous sommes sortis à notre étage, il nous a dit « God bless you » (Dieu vous bénisse).
Nous avons rendez-vous Linda et moi à 10 h 30. Nous marchons vers la rivière, le Mississipi! Une ile s’est formée au centre à partir de 1900, Mud Island (L’ile de boue?). On peut y aller à pied en passant une passerelle ou en une sorte de petit train suspendu mais il faut payer. On n’y va pas.
C’est impressionnant de voir le Mississipi, rivière mythique. Nous passons un endroit empierré ou l’on chargeait les bateaux autrefois. Maintenant nous ne voyons que des bateaux à roues pour touristes.
Nous allons vers le centre ville. Linda a un guide et partage ses connaissances avec moi. Nous allons à la Beale Street. C’est une rue spéciale à Memphis parce que c’était un centre de ralliement pour les Noirs pendant leur lutte pour obtenir l’égalité. Puis c’est devenu une rue rassemblant les musiciens noirs, jazz, blues. C’est maintenant une rue très touristique. Nous sommes rentrées dans une très vielle boutique, Schwab. C’était, il y a longtemps, une sorte de comptoir où l’on trouvait de tout. Mais c’est maintenant une boutique où l’on trouve des souvenirs, des déguisements, de la pacotille et bien sûr des souvenirs d’Elvis Presley, le fils le plus célèbre de Memphis.
Je ne me rendais pas compte que Memphis est vraiment au sud des Etats-Unis, le sud profond. C’est ici qu’il y avait l’esclavage, la guerre de sécession, la ségrégation. Il y a un musée des droits civils que j’espère aller voir. La population est vraiment mixte, noirs et blancs.
Nous allons voir l’hôtel Peabody, le plus ancien grand hôtel de Memphis. C’est grandiose, belles boiseries, beau plafond très haut et avec vitraux, réception monumentale. Il a été pendant longtemps le plus chic hôtel du sud des USA. Et maintenant il est célèbre pour ses canards! Quatre canards habitent dans l’hôtel. La nuit ils dorment sur le toit, à 11 h ils prennent l’ascenseur et descendent dans le lobby et nagent ou dorment dans une fontaine. A 5 h ils reprennent l’ascenseur et remontent. Nous voyons les canards dans la fontaine, ils dorment. Nous reviendrons demain à 11 h.
Nous déjeunons d’une salade dans un restaurant, nous baladons encore un peu et rentrons, bien fatiguées.
Blog et petite sieste, j’ai un peu mal à la tête.
Jens rentre vers 6 h et nous allons diner tous les quatre, Linda, Steve, Jens et moi. Nous allons à un restaurant qui s’appelle Rendez-vous où l’on sert des côtes de porc grillés. Mais pas des côtes de porc comme en France, elles ne sont pas séparées et beaucoup plus plates. Il faut manger avec les doigts, on n’a même pas de fourchette! C’est assaisonné d’une sauce barbecue et accompagné de haricots, c’est très bon. On boit de la bière. Puis nous allons à Beale Street et là la musique bat son plein. Chaque café ou restaurant a son orchestre qui joue très fort, les néons clignotent, et les « rabatteurs » essayent de convaincre les touristes que leur restaurant est le meilleur. Le niveau sonore est très élevé mais les gens ont l’air d’aimer ça.
Nous nous éloignons un peu du bruit pour aller boire un café à un Starbuck (compagnie qui a démarré à Seattle). C’est plus calme mais parfois un groupe de motos, Harley Davidson et autres, passent en faisant un bruit d’enfer.
Des sortes de carosses trainés par des chevaux et décorés de lumière, attendent les clients.
Nous rentrons et nous couchons.
Breakfast with all the seismologists, fresh fruit, coffee and muffins and Jens go to attend the conference. Everything, conference, breakfast, is in the hotel. At the same time as the meeting of the SSA (Seismic Society of America) there is also a meeting of the "Church of God in Christ". Apparently this is a church frequented by Blacks. The meeting is not for the faithful, but a meeting of pastors, all black, very well dressed and very powerfully built .... Some have their wives with them and they are very elegant, pretty dresses, hats and gloves. We found ourselves in the elevator with a pastor and when we left on our floor, he said "God bless you".
We meet, Linda and I, at 10.30 am. We walk toward the river, the Mississippi! An island has been formed in a natural way in the center of the river from 1900 on, Mud Island. It can be reached on foot along a walkway or in a kind of suspended train, but you have to pay. We do not go.
It's impressive to see the Mississippi, a mythical river. We go along the river and see a paved place where they used to load the boats once. Now we see only paddle boats for tourists.
We go to the city center. Linda has a guide and is sharing her knowledge with me. We go to Beale Street. This is a special street in Memphis because it was a rallying point for black people during their struggle for equality. Then it became a street gathering black musicians playing jazz or blues. It is now a very touristy street. We visit a very old shop, Schwab. It was long ago, a sort of store where everything could be found. But now it is a shop where you can find souvenirs, costumes, music instruments, and of course memorabilia from Elvis Presley, the most famous son of Memphis.
I did not realize that Memphis is so much south in the United States, the Deep South. Here there was slavery, the Civil War, segregation. There is a museum of civil rights that I hope to see. The population is very mixed, black and white.
We see the Peabody Hotel, the oldest grand hotel in Memphis. This is great, beautiful woodwork, high ceilings and beautiful stained glass, monumental reception. It has long been the most stylish hotel in the southern USA. And now he is famous for its ducks! Four ducks live in the hotel. At night they sleep on the roof, at 11 am they take the elevator and descend into the lobby and swim or sleep in a fountain. At 5 pm they return to the elevator and go up. We see the ducks in the fountain, they are sleeping. We will return tomorrow at 11 am.
We have lunch, a salad, in a restaurant, we walk a little bit more and go home, tired.
Blog and nap, I have a little headache.
Jens returned around 6 pm and we go out for dinner, the four of us, Linda, Steve, Jens and me. We go to a restaurant called Rendezvous which serves grilled pork ribs. You must eat with your fingers, they don’t give us forks! It is seasoned with barbecue sauce and accompanied by beans, it is very good. We drink beer. Then we go to Beale Street and there the music is in full swing. Each cafe or restaurant has its own orchestra, which plays very loud, neon lights are flashing, and every restaurant has a person outside trying to convince tourists that their restaurant is the best. The noise level is very high but people seem to like it.
We get away from the noise for some coffee at a Starbucks (the company that started in Seattle). It is quieter but sometimes a group of motorcycles, Harley Davidson and others, pass by and are very noisy.
Some horse carriages, decorated with light, are waiting for customers.
We go back to the hotel and go to bed.
We meet, Linda and I, at 10.30 am. We walk toward the river, the Mississippi! An island has been formed in a natural way in the center of the river from 1900 on, Mud Island. It can be reached on foot along a walkway or in a kind of suspended train, but you have to pay. We do not go.
It's impressive to see the Mississippi, a mythical river. We go along the river and see a paved place where they used to load the boats once. Now we see only paddle boats for tourists.
We go to the city center. Linda has a guide and is sharing her knowledge with me. We go to Beale Street. This is a special street in Memphis because it was a rallying point for black people during their struggle for equality. Then it became a street gathering black musicians playing jazz or blues. It is now a very touristy street. We visit a very old shop, Schwab. It was long ago, a sort of store where everything could be found. But now it is a shop where you can find souvenirs, costumes, music instruments, and of course memorabilia from Elvis Presley, the most famous son of Memphis.
I did not realize that Memphis is so much south in the United States, the Deep South. Here there was slavery, the Civil War, segregation. There is a museum of civil rights that I hope to see. The population is very mixed, black and white.
We see the Peabody Hotel, the oldest grand hotel in Memphis. This is great, beautiful woodwork, high ceilings and beautiful stained glass, monumental reception. It has long been the most stylish hotel in the southern USA. And now he is famous for its ducks! Four ducks live in the hotel. At night they sleep on the roof, at 11 am they take the elevator and descend into the lobby and swim or sleep in a fountain. At 5 pm they return to the elevator and go up. We see the ducks in the fountain, they are sleeping. We will return tomorrow at 11 am.
We have lunch, a salad, in a restaurant, we walk a little bit more and go home, tired.
Blog and nap, I have a little headache.
Jens returned around 6 pm and we go out for dinner, the four of us, Linda, Steve, Jens and me. We go to a restaurant called Rendezvous which serves grilled pork ribs. You must eat with your fingers, they don’t give us forks! It is seasoned with barbecue sauce and accompanied by beans, it is very good. We drink beer. Then we go to Beale Street and there the music is in full swing. Each cafe or restaurant has its own orchestra, which plays very loud, neon lights are flashing, and every restaurant has a person outside trying to convince tourists that their restaurant is the best. The noise level is very high but people seem to like it.
We get away from the noise for some coffee at a Starbucks (the company that started in Seattle). It is quieter but sometimes a group of motorcycles, Harley Davidson and others, pass by and are very noisy.
Some horse carriages, decorated with light, are waiting for customers.
We go back to the hotel and go to bed.
Linda, le Mississipi
Le train suspendu pour Mud Island
The suspended train to Mud Island
Un ancien embarcadère
An old charging place
Le tramway
The trolley
Elvis, Jeannette
Beale Street
Linda dans Schwab
Linda in Schwab
Les canards à Peabody Hotel
The ducks at Peabody Hotel
Jeannette, Linda, Jens, Steve
Restaurant Rendez-vous
Un carosse
A horse carriage
Beale Street
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