About 14 minutes from Van Buren AR we landed in Alma AR. Alma is a city in Crawford County, located within the Arkansas River Valley at the edge of the Ozark Mountains. The city is the sixth largest in the Fort Smith metropolitan area. The population was 5,419 at the 2010 Census. The city is located at the intersection of Interstate 40 and Interstate 49.

Alma was incorporated in 1874 and the economy was largely agricultural until the introduction of the canning industry. Today, the city claims the title of Spinach Capital of the World. So, do you wonder why there is a statue of Popeye or why we had to see it?

Mississippi claims to be the birthplace of American music. Naturally, we migrated toward Clarksdale where they have two fine but very different museums. The first one we visited was the Museum of Rock and Roll and the Blues.

They appeared to have every record cover from Buddy Holly, Muddy Waters, Chuck Barry, the Stones, the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, the Animals…every talented musician that played Rock or the Blues…and Yoko Ono. There were signed guitars, speakers, juke boxes and a music related toilet seat.

We met a teenager who confessed that he loved the Doors and had just met their lead guitarist, Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger. Rock and the Blues are here to stay.

Jorge was amused by the collection and kept stating…I have that album, and that one, and that one! My friend Mark has them all and then some! We could start our own museum. Old fart talk!

The Museum of Rock and Roll and Blues seemed like a mom and pop type of place with a soloist playing rock outside the door to attract attention. It was nice. Then we headed toward the Delta Blues Museum which is a much more substantial place. It is large hall with items such as guitars, personal items, videos…enough to make one cry the blues, which we did because no pictures were allowed. However, there was one thing both places have in common. A gift shop!