Day 16 - More Meandering - LA to Toronto

April 2015 - Jackson MS

We had great plans (I know sad) to do some laundry this morning in the hotel guest laundry. But we didn't have enough quarters and I tried the restaurant and coffee shop to no avail. The front desk had people lining up to check out so we abandoned that idea and went to breakfast instead which was included with the room. John had a delicious omelet made to order and I had fruit and yogurt.

It had started raining lightly as we loaded up the car and we headed out to see the capitol building.

Beside the old capital building, now a museum, we discovered the War Memorial.


Soldiers of all wars are honored at the War Memorial Building ,where the faces of the soldiers carved into the building are all the same, which represents the kinship of all Mississippians who gave their lives in defense of their country. The building’s unique cast aluminum doors and panels depict scenes from the Battle of Ackia in 1736, through the Vietnam War.

Then we stopped outside this church so I could get some photos for inSPIREd Sunday.

The "new" Capitol building 1903, unfortunately the dome is under repair and it also started to rain heavily.

The majestic gold-leafed American eagle keeps watch over the city. Of all the state capitols, Mississippi’s most closely resembles the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

 

One of the 53 replicas of the original Liberty Bell, as well as a statue erected in memory of the ladies, mothers, sisters, wives and daughters of the Confederate soldiers is located on the capitol grounds.

The azaleas are in full bloom and it is now raining hard so we decide to head out to Memphis.

Considering the amount of stormy weather around us we were lucky and the rain stopped after less than an hour.

I had thought John would have liked to revisit Graceland, we were there back in the early 90s, but he said, no, not interested in giving the Presley corporation $33 each (cheapest tour). So instead we dropped into the Heartbreak Hotel but they don't even open the dining room until 3 PM so their loss on our money also.

We drove around the area and couldn't believe the crowds, you would have had to line up forever.
But then the NRA convention is in town and it is still spring break for some.

Graceland gates, back in the '90s we simply walked up to tour the house, now you have to book a tour and be bused over.

Quick, John, stop!!! Yes, a Nathan's hot dog for lunch.

Into Memphis and the GPS lady is totally confused and takes us downtown where we can't find our hotel.

We reset her and end up being twenty miles away. Thank you Hilton, for your description of the Hilton "Memphis" with easy access to Beale St and other attractions. In Austin at the Hilton "easy access" meant step out of your hotel and be there. Not so here.
So I am not a happy camper with the location but at least we are closer to Nashville in the morning!!

The hotel lobby is lovely and I am checked in ( I went to the desk with the Hilton Honors sign) by a gentleman who doesn't do the Hilton spiel of welcoming me as a Hilton Honors member nor telling me about their 100% satisfaction guarantee. I also have to ask where the restaurant is. We are on an Executive floor but he doesn't mention those amenities either, but the email I had received had so I didn't ask.

The room is quite nice. But the TV doesn't work so I call down. The clerk says "did you try the power button on the side?" yes," well check the cables". I said no, that wasn't my job please send someone. Maintenance comes (reeking of cigarette smoke) and fixes a cable in the back.

John is glued to the Master's (golf). We go to the bar for a drink, lovely lobby as I said.
We head to dinner, it is really quiet and freezing so we ask for the AC to be turned off which she happily did. The table is set for four and normally a server should remove the other two place settings but this wasn't done. We order our wine and the server starts to pour mine, to which John says, no I'd like to taste it first. Server says "oh, I'm used to ladies' first". obviously never taken any wine training.

The wine glasses are old fashioned tiny ones, even the water glasses were a better size for wine.

The Hiltons always have really good chefs whenever we eat there.

John had the salmon with red beans which he said was delicious.

 I had the steak special with roast potatoes and asparagus. I finally asked the server for a steak knife and he apologizes and brings it immediately.

For dessert we shared sweet potato pie as we had to try it.  John loved it, I'd say it was ok.