Gameday

The day started ... leisurely. Since we have a balcony and windows inside the pyramid, there is no daylight here but constant "weather conditions". So we woke up at 10 o'clock in style and conquered the day with the first coffee of the day.

We went directly to the Fedex Forum to find a strategically good parking space nearby. It should be cheap and close to the city as well as the basketball arena. We found one, even officially and completely legal for free.

So we enthusiastically immersed ourselves in Beale Street, "Home of Blues". There was already a lot of hustle and bustle in the early afternoon, probably also because of the upcoming NBA game and the very good weather.

In the first shop, Nadine wanted to buy postcards, but credit cards were not welcome and the owner seemed a bit shady. So we left. As soon as we left the store, another customer followed us, had the cards in his hand, and gave them to Nadine. He loves Germany and he bought them for us. A cool way for Memphis to say welcome directly. In the next store, we met Peggy who, sitting behind her cash register, asked everyone with bright eyes behind her small glasses where they came from. We heard Louisiana, Buffalo, and when it was our turn, Nadine just wanted to know how much refrigerator magnets cost. But Peggy had to recover from the fact that we came from Germany first. She was shocked, and then Nadine's piercings, they must have hurt like hell... she was adorable. In the end, she gave each of us a magnet, and she typed something into the machine for the remaining items, and we left with a great loot.

We went through more stores where there were mainly Elvis souvenirs. I did my obligatory shopping at the Hard Rock Café and we stopped at the "World Famous Silky O' Sullivan's". The shabby-looking facade remains in everyone's memory who has been here before. Behind it is a great beer garden where there is a lot to discover. Harmony, our very young waitress, had a bit of trouble recommending a beer to us because she doesn't drink herself (...very sensible), but we still found something. Nadine had a local one and I had an Irish cider. We were very happy with our choice.

Later, two burgers were added. I had a Cajun one and Nadine had one with pulled pork and coleslaw, all served with homemade well-seasoned potato chips. Delicious... there was also live music from a very likable singer with his guitar. He also fulfilled song requests and everyone had fun.

Then we went to the arena. The Memphis Grizzlies played against the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. Ja Morant, the superstar of the Grizzlies, is already omnipresent here in front of the hall. He had just scored 52 points in a game a few days ago and plays a decisive role in his team currently ranking 3rd in the Conference. The entrance went smoothly with tickets on our phones, scanned, inside. They immediately asked if the tickets were okay because they were not roll tickets. I explained that I knew that and can go to my seat. Okay, you did it! Here, even at a basketball game, wheelchair users can determine their own lives. I love it.

The FedEx Forum is much larger inside than you might think from the outside. We were greeted by loud music and people full of fun and joy. We each received a Grizzlies fanny pack and still turned into the fan shop. Nadine had a virtual shopping list to work through for Tim, and I had mine. T-shirts and caps were quickly found, up to the terrace level and quickly got something to drink. Above all, we were eager for the large souvenir cups, of which I already have several at home.

Basketball fans seem to be very thirsty and hungry, and although well organized with plenty of staff, we had to wait in line for quite a while. If the giant Pepsi cup is not enough for you, of course, you can refill it, for nearly 9 dollars.

When we arrived at our seats, a children's choir sang the national anthem - always a very special moment for me, as if the world stands still for a moment. By the way, we had great seats on terrace level, row A seats 1 and 2.... Sounds good, I think.

A couple of older people sat next to us who turned out to be siblings. Both were very knowledgeable and also very interested in us. They were also happy to welcome us to Memphis with their Grizzlies. They have had season tickets since 2011 and since I knew what the tickets cost individually, I calculated that for 42 home games, plus possible playoffs, and it made my head spin a little.. but well, NBA basketball is really awesome.

By the middle of the 1st quarter, she showed me a map of Germany on her phone and asked me to show her exactly where we come from.

During the game, several more completely unknown people came up to us who were happy that we were there and asked if we were enjoying the game. One of them had a child who is currently living in Stuttgart and so on... just lovely. And even though Nadine doesn't want to admit it, it's mostly because of her open, friendly, and people-catching manner that is a perfect match here in the states.

The game was predictably decided early, the Grizzlies won by more than 20 points and were only in danger in the early minutes. Not even the Berliner Wagner brothers who played for the Orlando Magic could change that.

In the end, it was another great day, we're a bit exhausted and now enjoying another night in this fantastic hotel in The Pyramid of Memphis.

Good Night America!