I'm Goin' to Graceland

I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but I've always been curious about Graceland.  We took a trip south to see my husband's parents, and on the way back we decided to stop and check it out.  This place gets about 600,000 visitors a year which is about 1,600 per day, so you have to park in a huge lot across the street.  Here's a view of the gates.  When Elvis moved here in 1957, it was in the country, but now there are other houses around it and the neighborhood is not so great.

You aren't allowed to go upstairs, but the windows on the top right are Elvis' bedroom.

Living room with 15 foot white sofa.

Elvis' parents.

Elvis' parents bedroom.

I've heard they don't allow people upstairs because obviously, the bathroom where he died would be the focal point for morbid curiousity.

Dining room.  People just lived differently back then.  This isn't a very large room.

Priscilla and Lisa Marie.

The kitchen.  Jason has been here once before and they had the kitchen closed because one of Elvis' aunts lived in the house and was still using the kitchen.

This bar is in the TV room downstairs.  Much of this garish decor is blamed on Linda Thompson, one of Elvis' girlfriends after he and Priscilla divorced.  (If you google Linda, you may recognize her from Hee Haw).

The billiards room has more than 350 yards of fabric covering the walls and ceiling.

This is the green shag carpet ceiling of the Jungle Room.  Elvis recorded his last music in this room and the covered ceiling provided good acoustics. 

Jungle Room window covering.

Jungle Room with working waterfall.  Lisa Marie loved that round chair.

This office was Vernon's, Elvis' father.  It's in one of many outbuildings on the property.

Replica of Elvis' home in Tupelo, MS.

Back of Graceland.

Pasture.

This building used to be a racquet ball court and now houses some of Elvis' outfits and awards.

Elvis' neighbors.  I guess you'd get used to living next door with hoards of people coming and going.

Meditation Garden where Elvis, his parents, and grandmother are buried.

Elvis had a stillborn twin, Jessie.  He's not buried here, but this is a memorial to him.

This tour was really interesting, but I went away feeling kind of melancholy.  I just think it's sad to think that this guy was surrounded by people who fed him full of pills.  He died when he was just 42.  If you look at later photos of him, he looks ill.  He's pale and his eyes and face are swollen.  Lisa Marie still owns the house, all the property, and everything in it.  She lives with her family in England.