Atlanta Day 1

Made the 2 1/2 hour drive to Atlanta and found our Days Inn Downtown.  Completely bugged by the "Oh yeah, it costs $15 a day to park here in the big city"added fee but I suppose it's something I need to get used to.

8th floor with a great view of the city and within walking distance of downtown attractions.

 First stop was CNN.  Huge!  Shops, food court, offices, studios, etc.

 We had a timed tour so we explored a bit while we waited and I told Tom I had this great daydream where they need someone to fill in as news anchor on the tour....I volunteer as I have much experience with tele-prompters and am promptly given a full time gig.

So about 10 minutes into the tour, we walk into a studio and our guide says "I need a volunteer" and yep, hand goes up, and I am behind the desk reading the news.  Great response from our guide and group but unfortunately, none of the higher ups were in attendance therefore missing out on their once in a lifetime opportunity to discover me.  Dang.

 After CNN we headed across Centennial Olympic Park.  Established as the social hub of the 1996 Olympics, we couldn't help but think of the bombing that took place there.

It was also interesting that so many things we thought the Salt Lake City Olympics had introduced like the sponsor bricks and fountain...had actually been here many years earlier.  I guess imitation is the greatest form of flattery!

At certain times during the day the local police, clear the fountain area and there's a water show with music.  The police stand around the fountain during the show to keep people out but Tom thought it would be hilarious if they started dancing.  So much so, that the next day when we ran into a couple of uniformed policeman he suggested as much to them.  They said they would be sure and bring it up in their precinct meeting.

 Bet you can't guess where we headed next!  Do any of these signs give you a clue?
World of Coca-Cola!

 I love the old advertising stuff and there was plenty of that, but I thought there was way too much about the "secret formula".  In fact there's a whole new exhibit about the VAULT where the formula is held that I thought was pretty dorky.

 At the end of the tour there's a huge room where you can sample sodas from all over the world.  Europe, Latin America, Africa, etc.... they each have their own station.  Some were pretty good and some were pretty awful.  There was an Italian flavor that was flat out icky!  You do watch them bottle good ol' American Coke and the bottles come into this room up above your head.

 They end up here and each guest gets to take a bottle with them before being corralled into the gift shop.  Amazing how we don't buy anything when we don't have kids with us!

 With several hours of tours under our belt we found a local pizza joint and got take out before heading back to the hotel to crash in front of the TV.