Images made while recently visiting Atlanta, Georgia.
The first time I ever went to Atlanta, it was the summer of 1995 and I was six. I don't remember much about that trip except that my parents wouldn't let me see the Batman show at Six Flags and I decided to see Free Willy 2 instead of going to a Reds/Braves game with my dad. Eighteen years later - still no Batman show, but I did get to see Atlanta and finally went to a Braves game.
Atlanta's an international, massive and traffic-clogged city. I-75 seems to be a nightmare no matter the time of day and as you slug down the interstate and realize that first set of skyscrapers is just the beginning of a sprawling downtown - you start to get an appreciation for just how big the city is. It's hot, humid and crowded while at the same time incredibly friendly. Bible thumping homeless guard the corners by tourist attractions while parking garages allow substitute views that a closed observation deck can't. Lennox Square is like a suburban shopping mall on steroids and Centennial Olympic Park serves as a monument to the city's rebirth and success. It's "The Big Apple" of the South, but more fittingly should be called "The Big Peach." Down there, coke isn't just a brand name, but a general term for any kind of soda and Ted Turner seems to own everything. The MARTA rail system is quick, clean and efficient while offering a tour of the city's vast reach. A rebirth of the streetcar (awesome) is under construction and Waffle House (delicious) can be found everywhere, even in the baseball stadium.
All in all, Atlanta is a wonderful place to visit, photograph and take in.
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| - Turner Field concourse. |
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| - View of the skyline from Turner Field. |
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| - Atlanta Streetcar construction. |
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| - Centennial Olympic Park. |
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| - Centennial Olympic Park. |
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| - Centennial Olympic Park. |
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| - SkyView Atlanta. |
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| - SkyView Atlanta. |
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| - The Westin Hotel. |
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| - Statue of former mayor Andrew Young. |
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| - Public art and parking lot. |
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| - Escalators to the MARTA system's Peachtree station. |
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| - Peachtree Center Station and its exposed granite walls. |
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| - MARTA. |
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| - South side of the city. |
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| - MARTA train. |
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| - MARTA train controls. |
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| - Empty MARTA train at the end of the line airport station. |
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| - A romantic carriage ride by the Waffle House. |
As for Free Willy 2 back in 1995 - I remember it being terrible. Seems the critics would
agree with me.