The first time I actually spent time in Atlanta was in 1996, when my family and I were fortunate enough to attend the Olympic Games. What fun we had!
Perhaps we had so much fun because the city was absolutely bubbling over with excitement and USA pride. Every restaurant we went to was filled, and the people on the street were so nice and fun. The city itself was nothing special, but it certainly wasn’t an eyesore. From what I understand, Olympic Park really brightened up the place.
If it’s food you want, food you’ll get! There is a large variety of restaurants in Atlanta. From the touristy Planet Hollywood to the little Chinese food dives you find at a strip mall, you can find any food to satisfy any craving.
There’s lots to do in Atlanta, as well. You can visit the do, many different museums, an aquarium, an Imax theatre, music clubs, night clubs, sports events, malls, and even a Six Flags amusement park. As I said, my family and I were there for the Olympics. We saw the ballgames at the stadium where the Braves (BOO! HISS!), as well as the court where the Hawks (BOO!) play. Everything was so neat and clean and inviting.
The following year, I got engaged. My (former) fiancee’s parents lived in Atlanta. We went to visit them a few times. Let me tell you, I was not impressed.
The suburbs of Atlanta are a lot like that of Long Island. They’re set back in private neighborhoods, right off main roads. The cost of living is much less than that of New York (plus the gas is MUCH cheaper), so the houses tend to be bigger. It’s really green, too. A lot of trees and plush grass (can grass be plush?) are found in every neighborhood.
My fiancee’s brother got us tickets to go to some sort of music festival being held in Olympic Park. What a difference from the last time I had been there! The streets were dirty, and there were homeless people everywhere. The festival was good (we got to see Bare Naked Ladies), but the security was awful. You could see pickpockets hitting up all the drunk people. The lines for the bathrooms were out of control. It was absolutely chaotic. I guess Atlanta only cleans up if the world is going to watch them.
I really don’t have any desire to go back to Atlanta. However, the cosmetics company I work for, Aloette, is headquartered there, and this year’s Convention is being held in Atlanta. Even though I’m reluctant, I will be attending. I certainly hope to see a better side of this city.