Mystery Train

Spent A LOT of today standing at train crossings, we mean 45minutes worth of standing, in the noon sun, as mega long trains on 6 tracks did their thang. 

But we eventually crossed and made it to Soulsville and a Stax, which was fab. 

Studio A and mixing desk where it all happened

and Booker T's organ, on which he played Green Onions. 

The once buzzing neighbourhood and the street is beyond derelict and it's purely geared for drivers and bus tours to Stax, so no need for any cafés/shops for the locals or the rare foot travellers like us. 

On the way back we dropped into a cemetery full of blues artists, monuments to the roma and slaves and yellow fever mass graves. 

Then we hit the rail tracks again. And there was a bloody train sitting in our way AGAIN. So this time we followed the school kids to jump the huge links on the massive stationary (but could move at any time) freight train. No photo evidence available, as whilst Den was as nimble as the youth, Lou had to haul her ampleness over the grease covered industrial mechanism, with her less than feeble upper body strength, so given time was of the essence, we chose speed over death. It was a mixture of cool and terrifying. And Lou is covered in bruises. 

As the day ends and we sit on the swing bench sipping a beer, we both talk again about the rich and poor divide being so stark here. There isn't a gradual fading out of wealth as you enter a poorer area, it is rammed up tight against each other. The railway shacks stop and right next door are the manicured lawns of the middle class houses. 

We are the only white people on foot within a 3 mile radius and some of the few riding the bus. Everywhere is in decay or is pristine. No inbetween. Every road has someone drinking/sleeping rough/suffering poor mental health. 

And everyone carries on saying "Hi" and chatting to us. Today we met the Ethiopian guy running the corner store. He was talking about being here 25yrs and how the system crushes you and despite what happened back in the days of the civil rights movement, that he is living the divide every day. 

Awesome: Stax - no more to say. 

Banjo: Minding our own business watching TV, to be assaulted by an emergency announcement on transvaginal mesh failure. Eeuw. 

Diner: Home cooking tonight. 

Co-pilot: Den guided us in a highly professional manner today and retains a 10. 

Last full day in Memphis tomorrow. We're gonna be doing Gibson factory, civil rights museum at spot where MLK jr was murdered, plus art, blues club and BBQ joint until the early hours. 

Y'all be having a good time now.