Next Stop Summer Road Trip 2009

Atlanta Georgia






Atlanta Hyatt &
The Georgia Aquarium

We spent the

We spent the first night of our road trip in a fancy schmancy place in downtown Atlanta just blocks from the next morning's destination.





The accommodations were quite appealing and 3 Magpies slept well. Bella was enthralled with the balcony overlooking the sparkly lights of downtown after dark.

We were well prepared for the road trip and our itinerary was set with prepaid tics for the Georgia Aquarium, the Titanic exhibit and a 4D feature playing in the IMAX-like theatre inside the aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the United States. The largest display included three whales sharks. They are quite large and it was an amazing experience to see them up close. My favorite exhibit was the Beluga Whale feature. Hosting three Beluga's, one male and two female, the exhibit was mesmerizing. The whales were so graceful while swimming and frolicking. Beluga's have necks and facial expression, almost appearing human from time to time. They are quite amazing creatures.

Upon entering the Titanic Exhibit, each visitor is provided a boarding pass. These unique passes include the actual information of a passenger aboard the doomed luxury ocean liner. This made it interactive and more interesting. The passenger information included both personal information about the passenger such as name, age, hometown... and trip information including classification and location of accommodations. The lights were dim and a rumble, somewhat louder while touring through third class, made us feel we were aboard the ship. Recovered relics encased in acrylic display boxes provided a visual tour of the lifestyle of those living during the Titanic time era. Replications of staterooms in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class were eerie to view. Recovered personal passenger papers, clothing, leather shoes and luggage were in remarkable condition. A crew member uniform was also recovered and displayed, complete with the brass buttons. A leather pouch containing perfume vials was my favorite recovered item on display. The stoppers in twenty or so of the vials were in place and the yellowed fragrance still inside. One wall in the final room of the exhibit listed each passenger and crew member by category of "survivor" or "perished". It was here we learned of the fate of the passenger listed upon the boarding pass we each received upon entering the exhibit.

4D was a term of which I was unaware when advance purchasing the theatre tickets. No explanation was given. The little Magpies and I discussed what the 4th D might be and concluded it must be touch or smell. The movie featured was really, really cute and we were somewhat surprised to get "splashed" during the movie presentation not once, not twice, but three times!!! That and the aqua blue stringers and occasional scented bubbles that floated around made the film more entertaining. We enjoyed it!

HOTlanta is awesome and life is Good!