Day: May 6, 2015

After Mud Island we explored the latest sensation that has hit Memphis.  It is Bass Pro Shop at the Pyramid.  Bass sells all sorts of outdoor equipment.  They have a wide variety of gear for fishing and hunting and all the accessories that one could imagine.  Their store at the Pyramid is truly a mega-store.  The Pyramid was an arena where the University of Memphis played their basketball games.  Apparently it was not acoustically ideal for concerts so when the Tigers left for a nicer home court, the arena did not have much use.  Along comes Bass Pro and not only converts it into a store they have made it a happening.  There are sections devoted to kids entertainment (rifle shooting of course), dining (restaurant and confection sales, including some amazing fudge), a bar at the apex of the building with breathtaking views of the city (see below) and of course what store is complete without its own hotel.  Yes the place has a hotel in it.  Did I forget the ponds with a variety of fish and an alligator?

We then went back to our room at the Peabody Hotel.  If you are not familiar with this place I will let you know it is a Memphis institution famous for the ducks in the lobby fountain.  Every day at 11AM the “Duckmaster” marches the ducks from their rooftop home down the elevator across a red carpet in the lobby to the fountain.  Then every evening at 5PM he marches them from the fountain to the red carpet and back up the elevator to their rooftop hang out.  It is a real gas.  People sit in the bar or line up along the red carpet an hour or more in advance to get a picture of the ducks.  The hotel is obsessed with them. You see duck dolls, umbrellas, t-shirts, soap, etc. You name it and they have a duck model (see below).  The Peabody might not be a National Park but it certainly is a National treasure, especially if you like ducks.