As we take breakfast in the hotel's lobby, there are a number of interruptions caused by people handing out discount coupons etc, and artistes 'selling' their shows. There is a ticket stand in the lobby, where we purchase tickets for four shows: two today; and two tomorrow. We spend the morning exploring some of Branson, shopping at K-Mart, and getting Boston Kremes and coffee at Dunkin Donuts.

 

Both of today's shows are at the Branson Variety Theatre: Spirit of the Dance in the afternoon and  Broadway in the evening. Both shows are excellent, with Broadway being particularly enjoyable with plenty of good songs and good singers.

 

Between the two performances, we eat at the Cracker Barrel next to our hotel (J: beef dinner; D: chicken fried chicken) and shop at the Outlet Mall.

Jeanette at the Mansion America Theatre

This morning's show at the Welk Resort Theatre features the Lowe family (father, mother, son, and five daughters from Utah) and is due to start at 10am. The show starts late - and there is only a small audience, a fact emphasised by the huge size of the auditorium, which seats 2,300. The Lowe family are multi-talented, but the show lacks a theme, and seems designed primarily so that the performers can demonstrate their diverse abilities with a variety of instruments. The performance finishes with a somewhat over-the-top patriotic salute.

We then drive direct to the Mansion America, another huge theatre. We get a snack in a nearby Amish cafe before the 2pm performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Again there is a small audience, but it is considerably larger than this morning's, and we enjoy an excellent production - the acoustics and sound system being particularly good.

After freshening up in our hotel room, we visit the nearby Dickens Market and the Outlet Mall before eating at the Golden Corral, where there are long queues at the buffet.

 

 

After three nights in one location, we are back on the road again today, and we will be heading in a southeasterly direction. Tonight's accommodation is booked for the Hampton Inn at Southaven, which although located in Mississippi, is conveniently situated to visit Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee. With almost 300-miles to drive, we make an early start on a dry day with the temperature varying between warm and very warm.

Just before a stop at Marshall for gas and muffins, our route takes us through the Ozark National Forest where we spot a sign for the Buffalo National River - a national park that we had not identified for our itinerary. The park's Tyler Bend Visitor Centre is three miles off US-65, the road we have been following this morning.

After watching a 17-minute film in the Visitor Centre, we walk the 1.6-mile River View Trail to the Buffalo River Overlook. This is a pleasant walk through dense woodland, culminating in a good view of the bluff-lined river, and with Jeanette spotting a snake crossing our path.

Established in 1972, Buffalo National River flows freely for 135-miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states.

We leave Tyler Bend just after noon, and continue on US-65 until we join SR-66 at Leslie. This road gets us to Mountain View where we find the Ozark Folk Center Craft Village. The 'village' is on two levels, and we sit on the porch of the lower-level visitor centre to eat our muffins and bananas. We do not visit the craft-making section of the village, but take the free shuttle bus up to the gift shop on the higher level, where Jeanette purchases a charm. A pleasant spot for lunch and breaking our drive, but otherwise not worth visiting.

 

From Mountain View, we utilise  different Arkansas state highways to cross what becomes flatter countryside. We pass through a series of small towns, seeing lots of churches and cemeteries, and some fine houses.

 

On reaching Interstate-55 we head south to cross the River Mississippi to the Hampton Inn at Southaven. We have driven 287-miles today. This evening's meal is at the nearby Cracker Barrel, where we both have the Sunday Chicken Special.

 

The Hampton Inn at Southaven provides us with a very comfortable stay, and we also enjoy the breakfast, where a little old lady is in charge; she gives us samples of apple crumb, which we save for lunch, together with muffins and bananas from the breakfast buffet. We get to Graceland in plenty of time for our pre-booked tour, which departs from the Graceland Plaza at 9:15am - a shuttle bus taking visitors from the exhibition area to the mansion across the road.

The music-themed gate to Graceland.

As on our previous visit in 1998, the tour of the house and grounds is made with the aid of an audio guide. The tour area is crowded at first as we pass the Hawaiian-themed Jungle Room and the navy and lemon TV Room, but thins out later.

The Living Room and the entrance to the adjoining Music Room,

which has a doorway framed by vivid large peacocks set in stained glass.

The main house entrance is flanked by four Corinthian columns.

The Meditation Garden, the location of Elvis's grave.

Left and below:

 

the rear of the house with its grounds and garden