Atlanta

This is our second visit (third for some) in as many months to this train yard. We stopped here a few weeks ago on one of the long water stops we sometimes have. There is not very much around though it is possible to walk and get a bus downtown. The train yard itself isn't to bad though the through traffic could slow down a little. It is just the situation of it, but it is one of those things you get use to.

Atlanta's nick name is Hotlanta. Apparently it can get really hot here but we didn't experience any of that. I would go as far as saying we experienced some of the coldest weather we have seen so far here, which was a shame as I'm sure we would have done so much more if it hadn't been so cold. Not that we didn't do anything, we would have just done more. We had a few days of snow and they coped a bit better than Charlotte, even thinking ahead. Loads of schools closed before the snow even hit which was quite funny as they were shut for a snow day and there hadn't even been a flake fall from the sky.

The Phillips Arena is right downtown and near quite a lot of shops and attractions. It was also attached to the CNN center so very easy to pin point. It is also a decent downtown, somewhere you could actually spend time, if it hadn't been for the cold.

We really didn't have to go far to find a decent park this week. Right across the road from the arena was the Centennial Olympic Park. Within the park is a visitor centre which is also a café so if it gets too cold you can reheat with a hot chocolate and cookie. There is a water fountain/display which would be fun if it was hot as you can play within it. This isn't so appealing when there is snow on the ground, though Willow was still up for it. A few time during the day there is a water display set to music which is OK but I was under the false impression that there where also lighting that went with it but I was wrong. So deciding to go watch it at dusk to get the best effect was pretty much a waste of time. There are also sculptures and gardens but of course the highlight for Willow was the two play parks at the bottom of the park. Shame the weather wasn't slightly better for her to make more of it being so close.



Before we arrived we were told about Underground Atlanta, and at first I thought it would be a tour of some old tunnels that once was the city. It was in fact a kind of mall that seemed under the city. In fact it use to be the main area of Atlanta until the streets became congested and they built over it. It was pretty good to go to on one of the colder days and it had a bit of an old feel to it in a history kind of way, but there really wasn't a lot within it.



While we were in Atlanta so were two other circuses. UniverSoul which has been at the same place as us a few times but I have still yet to see it. I think quite a lot of people from the show have seen it now. The other show was the Big Apple circus. The circus had an outing to visit and so many people went they had to put on a couple of charter buses. We did plan on going with everyone, but due to a late night (Tweedy had been to see the blue show the night before) we didn't manage to get up in time to catch the bus. We did however see a dress rehearsal when we first got there which was lots of fun and also meant we could hang out a little at the end and say hi to people. I really enjoyed the show and it felt like a 'real' circus. It was the first time we had seen Bello perform, and I enjoyed it a lot. The Curatola brothers where also there who we worked with a long time ago. So long ago in fact that they came to our wedding, so it was nice to see them again. Later in the week the Big Apple returned the visit and they came over to our show.

Another Feld show The Nuclear cowboyz was also in town while we where here and I was lucky enough to be able to get some tickets for me and Willow to go. Unfortunately for everyone else the show times clashed so no one else could. It was a fun show with loads of fireworks, pyros and lighting. Oh and motorbikes and quads doing somersaults to rock and punk music.

On one of the really cold days (and there where lots of them) we went to Atlantic Station which seemed a nice part of town. There is a cinema there and an Ikea. Oh I wish I had somewhere to live so I could justify a trip to Ikea. Instead it was used as a free play zone for Willow.



Coca Cola was invented in Atlanta and there is a museum called World of Coke to celebrate this fact. Now I'm not saying I drink a lot of the stuff but I seemed to have collected enough points off the tops of diet coke to buy admission for 2 adults and a child so that was handy. It was OK but I'm glad I didn't have to pay actual cash for my tickets. There was a lot of history and memorabilia and a few films to watch, including a 4D film about the secret formula. The best part though is the tasting deck, some good and some spit in the sink bad.




Right next door to The world of Coke is The Georgia Aquarium and it is the largest in the world. Neither Tweedy or I went but lots of people from the show did go, including Willow who went with Rebecca. She really liked it and came home with a new fluffy otter friend.

Valentines day fell while we visited Atlanta and all I'm going to say on that subject is I really, really don't get the American Valentines day celebration at all.