In May of this year, I was in Atlanta for a conference, which led into a family vacation. Mayden met me in Atlanta the day after the conference concluded, and we explored the following day before heading to Florida. Here’s a gallery from our short trip in Atlanta.
Before Mayden got there, I visited Atlanta’s Cascade Springs Nature Preserve. The description on the website says there are earthworks dug by Civil War troops, but unfortunately I did not get to see them. In my short time in the park, I came across a homeless encampment, someone pandering “wizard and witch” curiosities, and a possible drug addict (I may be wrong, but I am assuming so due to his stagger) without a shirt and shoes; although I came across them not much further up the trail, freshly discarded. I made the decision to turn around shortly after I came across the stone springhouse serving as the title image.
The next selection of images are from the Atlanta Aquarium. Manta rays, sharks and other fish which I do not know the name of, flamingos, starfish and a different species of bird as well. Mayden also asked me to capture her in the exhibit “Ocean Voyager”, sitting in front of this massive clear wall that holds back millions of gallons of water. She got as close as she could to sharks and other fish; as close as she could through 2 feet of acrylic glass.
Naturally our next stop was the World Of Coke due to it being located on the same campus as the aquarium. Mayden consumes 0.5% of the Coke company’s production of diet coke, so I’d think she deserves the sequined top we found. I also found the free glass of Coca-Cola ticket. It’d be great if they distributed “free cases of Diet Coke” tickets nowadays, but I doubt that would happen.
Finally, a bonus from outside Atlanta, “The Big Nut” as we’ve come to call it. We stayed the night in Dothan, Alabama, and searched for things to do the next day. Just outside of town is a massive peanut at the National Peanut Festival fairgrounds, home of the largest peanut festival in the United States. Perhaps one day we’ll find ourselves back at The Big Nut, visiting the peanut festival.
-- Nick Lonce