Swede Home Alabama: Elvis and Graceland...

These passed two weeks I have had my mother visiting us in Alabama and we have had great fun together. She had only one thing on her wish list while visiting and that was a visit to Graceland and to see where Elvis lived - the pop star of her time. Since it's only a 5 hour drive, one way, from Montgomery it would be an easy trip to make especially when it is a clear free way all they way through Alabama, parts of Mississippi and into Tennessee.

I never thought in my life I would visit Graceland - the home of Elvis and nor did my mother. But we got there and wow... I must say I am impressed by everything. I whom is not an Elvis fan will not understand, but seeing his house and get a glimpse of what his life was, I can understand that he is a true legend of his time.. and will be so for a very long time. I also found out that he has been until now the most sold dead artist in the world. Michael Jackson beat him this year. Elvis Presley´s house Graceland is also the second most visited house in the country after the White House.

We stayed at the Heart Break Hotel in Memphis, just a few steps away from Graceland itself. At first I felt the whole environment kind of cheesy. You could see recorded and televised concerts of him, his name and picture on tons of things one can only imagine. I guess, its all business, and for a non-fan it seemed absurd. But I found that his fans thrive in it.

Graceland itself was awesome. WOW. He bought the house back in late 50's for a 100 000 dollars. Its not a big house compared to today´s measures and everything inside and outside has kept the same since his death in August of 1977. The cool jungle room, or the billiard room which was covered with the same fabric from the floor to the roof. The sofa in the same fabric blended well in.....

The graves of the Presley family was some what very emotional. Some fans were quiet, other talked with him, some had clearly emotional breakouts and others had to sit down because they cried too much. I never thought a pop star could have such an impact on his fans still today, more than 30 years after his death.

If you pass Memphis you need to see Graceland, even if you are not a fan.

This is an early photo of Elvis and his mother and father. Born in Mississippi in 1935. His round cheeks is because he had his mouth full of peanuts...

This car he gave to his mother - and as I understand it she was very special to him. He had several very nice cars in his collection but this is the only pink car.

The Presley family graves. Graceland receives flowers daily from fans all over the world, to put on his grave...

Not so flattering photo of him.

Impressive collections of awards, prices, etc... This used to be his racquetball court.

This is the famous jungle room. Scary if you would find a house on the market looking like this today, but I guess, Elvis was a little cutting edge of his time. But he had the money too..

OK. The billard room. Totally covered with the same fabric from wall to wall and roof. Including the sofa. The room gives you a wired feeling and it becomes narrow.. Don´t ask me but there got to be several 100 meters of fabric in this room.