Atlanta Activities!~

More about Atlanta...

How fun was vacationing by myself. First, I have to tell you that I got down to Kami's house before she tells me that she's living with her boyfriend. I'm thinking, geesh, you could've given me some warning. I was tired and grumpy. I had lots I wanted to do and then I found out she didn't have the internet!!!?!?!?!??!?!?!? ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME? I live in a town of 1500 and I have high speed. She said that she'd been stealing it from her neighbors unsecured wireless network but either they secured it or her computer broke so there you have it. This totally put a cramp in my planning style though. I have never been so grateful for my blackberry with internet service.
I quickly did some research and found that I could take MARTA and buy a CityPass for just $69 that got me into like 9 tourist traps. Which is exactly what I wanted! Here are some of the cool places that I got to go...but wait!! First, i have to tell you about getting to the 1st location.

Wait, first I have to tell you how cool these little marta cards are. They are definitely a breeze...they contain a microchip and I saw people like just putting their back sides up the gates or their purses or whatever but it took me at least 8 tries to get it just right. I LOVE mass transit. I had so much fun talking to young black women on the platforms. Europe has awesome mass transit only they aren't friendly. Atlanta, everyone is VERY happy to talk. I bought a 4 day pass or something and that means unlimited rides which was a good thing bc getting to the CNN Tour took about 10 trips in and out of different/wrong terminals. The best thing was it was good for the subway and the bus system.

I get up, do a little more research on getting around and getting to different places. The one basic necessity I was missing was a detailed map of the City of Atlanta. In the meantime, I had addresses and stuff and a generic map as well as an Atlas. Ah, these are not as good as a city map, ever.

Driving into Atlanta without knowing exactly where the MARTA park and rides were was an adventure. Eventually I saw a sign and took an exit and then simply asked directions. Found a local mall with a marta stop across the street. It was a little further downtown than I would have liked but parking at a mall, always a good bet...right? LOL...as I was pulling in about 10 cop cars came squeeling into the parking lot. I didn't know if I should feel worried or extra safe?

I get downtown to the central marta station and I'm asking all sorts of people how to get to here or there or whevever and lesson #1: never ask a hometown person about a tourist trap - they don't know bc they've never been there.

About 4 hours after I left Kami's townhome I made it to the CNN Studios. Finally, I could get the CityPass and a map!!!

I enjoyed the tour a lot. It was fun to see Fredricka live and behind the scenes eating and primping, lol. All the guys got a hoot about that. It was a lot after all. The worst part of this tour was going up the 8 story escalator. It's a single width, free standing and after my episode on WED, at the Incline Railway, I was a little freaked. Ok, a lot freaked. Shaking, increased heart rate, scared to death feeling. I had no idea I was SOOO afraid of heights. This escalator was open on both sides so I could look up (again, steep and straight up), down (same as up) or over the sides to the ground!!! I seriously freaked. I got to the top and again, nice folks were asking me, are you ok? I was but I did need a minute to get it under control. I went back in the CNN area at least 3 times and forgot to take a photo...let me see if I can find one online. No photos. Anyway, very fun.

I also mention to the tour guide that hottie weather man Rob Marcciano at CNN is from PDX.

It's during the tour that I notice there is a German kid there (I recognized the accent), alone. I'm wondering why he's alone. After the tour, I needed some food. I noticed that this german kid was also eating. I simply walked over and asked if i could join him. I told him that I'd been an exchange student to Germany and a missionary and he said sure. We visited and then determined that we were both heading north on MARTA. He had been an exchange student the year before and his family invited him back and he said sure. He was going to spend 4-5 weeks back in the US. He was so great, willing to talk politics and reminded me yet again that main stream media and liberal elitists don't have a clue about how the average foreign kid feels about America. He told me that its still the German kids dream to come to, visit or even live in America. That's how it was 12 years ago when I was there. Keep the faith Americans, we are still the envy of the world. We enjoy the blessings of Freedom. Ok, enough politco, except i have sooo much to say about it.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon together, riding MARTA together and making possible plans for the next day. Here he is...not bad eye candy either:)

I hopped off MARTA to visit the High Art Museum of Georgia. They just happened to be open late on Wed. and it worked out great for my schedule.

I have to tell ya, after a very long, hectic and hot day, it sure was nice to go to this museum and be in air conditioning and look at art. I have recently enjoyed hitting some major museums including the Seattle Art Museum and the HIGH Museum. The High is currently in a deal (aka: Partnership) with the Louve and they had Houdon's work there. I absolutely loved his work. He did busts, check out this one of his daughter.

Finally I get home at like 9 PM. It was a long day but very nice to do what I wanted, eat when I wanted and just...be alive.

Ok, enough for now. More later, there is still Friday and Saturday of vacay.

~Sharon