Atlanta didn't start too well in my eyes. By the time I had reached the hostel I had been asked for money by not less than 5 people. And it's not like I had given them the chance to ask me for money. It was only a 50 metre walk to the train station from Greyhound, and then 1/2 a km to the hostel from the other end. If you measure poverty based on this measure then Atlanta's economy mustn't be looking too good.
The hostel people were very welcoming. I arrived at 9am and by 10:30am I was checked in for the night. This allowed me a quick shower, and nap before heading out for downtown Atlanta, and the 'World of Coca Cola'. Obviously the marketing people at Coke decided it isn't quite right to be named 'Cokeworld'. Although looking at some of the people in Atlanta I'm sure you could manage to visit your own version.
Now one has to remember I was in Atlanta on a long weekend. In fact one of the busiest long weekends of the year, Labour Day Weekend. The last weekend before school kiddies go back, and to people in the north a signal that you're coming to the end of summer. So by the time I got to Cokeworld it was a mess. Strollers, and families everywhere. It didn't matter though to me. As long as I could get in. When it comes down to it Coca Cola really do have it good. They have managed to set up a theme park museum dedicated to their company which then charges adults $15 to just get in the door. A self funding marketing exercise. Anyway the World of Coca Cola was cool. 2 different movies, one an animation with the happiness factory characters (the add where the coke comes out of a coke machine after going through a fantasy world), and a 4D film complete with glasses and moving chairs. There was the opportunity to go sit on the Coca Cola Polar Bear's lap for a photo, but something wasn't right about sitting on it's lap, and then having the electronic facial features go into a smile. So instead I settled for trying to make myself sick on endless soft drink products from the world.
The rest of the day was spent walking around the Centennial Park from the 1996 Olympics, and passing by CNN news centre. I refused to take the CNN tour out of thoughts it'd only support their very right wing talk show commentators.
The hostel in Atanta was not the best. It's seen better days but when there is no competition you really don't have to try. But unfortunately the hostel won the award for the worst experience ever in terms of a rude guest. Not only was this guy snoring like a chainsaw, but after he woke up at 6am he proceeded to just snort and cough up phlem for the next hour. All I could think was he had no respect for other people. It changed my whole sleeping habit as he was there the whole time. Found myself sleeping during the afternoons just to get some rest.
So having done the World of Coca Cola I was left with the need to find a stronger. And there is nothing stronger than visiting 'the King'. No I'm not talking about going to Memphis. Elvis is no in Atlanta. I'm talking about Martin Luther King. I knew that in traveling to Atlanta I would be going to the roots of the civil right movement. I just didn't realise how inspirational it would be, and yet how disappointing to how neglected it is. The memorial to the King is great, and the story is so important for people to hear, and yet the crowds visiting here as compared to the World of Coca Cola, and the Aquarium are minuscule.
Oh, and there was one other thing on in Atlanta I haven't mentioned. Over the long weekend there was a festival on in downtown. Some thing called Dragon-Con. Thousands of people converging on a convention dedicated to their favourite TV, and movie cults. Man I am talking the biggest geek festival I've ever seen. I'm talking seriously deluded people. Trekkies and Star Wars fans, through to Benders. And they all dressed into costume. Seriously when I made it into downtown for the first time I was like, hmmm noone told me there was a costume party on.
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