My Two Day Vacation

So if you're not aware, I've been out of town for the past couple of days.  I went to Atlanta, GA with two wonderful friends.  I think I'll give you some highlights and some pictures.  I didn't take pictures mostly because I don't have a smartphone, and my digital camera battery dies after 3 pictures.  So I will be sharing pictures taken by others.  Forgive me if the rear ends of baseball players end up on the page.

Our first stop was our hotel room.  We went to the Hilton Garden Inn at Perimeter Center.  I give you the full name so that you'll know exactly where you should avoid if you don't want to wait almost an hour for sheets or pay for your breakfast.  I'll explain later.  We had to go kill time because we got there too early.  So we spilt a 4 dollar plate of sliders and fries between the three of us.  Yes, you read that right.  After all that, we went to our room to gussy up for the game.  That's when I realized I forgot my belt.  So I had to cleverly keep my shorts up while going to the baseball game.

Dan Uggla before hitting that burrito home run

We went to Turner Field to see the Braves play the Nationals.  I'm not a fan of either team, but third base line seats and a chance to see Stephen Strasburg pitch was great.  The highlight of the game was Dan Uggla hitting the Homewrecker Home Run.  During the 5th inning, if a Brave hit a home run, everyone in the crowd got a free burrito from Moe's.  If you've never been to Moe's, make it a bucket list item.  The Braves lost 8-4, but it was a good time.  Our seats were under the upper deck, so we had a lot of shade.

After the game, we went back to our hotel room to get ready for Dave n Buster's.  Before we went there, we had to go to Marshall's to get me a belt.  That's when my friends were made aware of my fear of escalators.  After getting my belt, we went to Dave n Buster's.  That place is Chuck E. Cheese for adults.  So much fun was had.  I redeemed my tickets for a can coozy.  I gave the rest of my tickets and my token card to a family.  I won't be there for a while, no need in keeping the cards.

After we get back from Dave n Buster's, we are ready for bed.  However my sleeper sofa mattress wasn't prepared for me.  In fact, the mattress was in plastic and the sheets were missing.  So I called the front desk and asked for my sheets.  They said 15 minutes.  After 30 minutes, nothing came to the room, so I called again.  The desk man said he'd send someone to knock again.  I don't remember a first knock, neither did my friends.  My linens finally came, and I got some much needed sleep.

The next morning could be easily defined as the strangest morning ever.  It started when we went downstairs to the lobby for what we thought would be a great breakfast.  I should have known it was going to be bad when the little African chef came out and fussed at me for taking my own biscuit.  I grabbed a biscuit for my biscuits and gravy, and he tells me not to use my hands because we have tongs.  He honestly came around from the kitchen to tell me this.  It's my biscuit.  If I want to grab MY biscuit with MY fingers, I'm going to do so.  So, anyway we sit down to enjoy our free continental breakfast when a waitress comes up to us and asks how we're paying for this.  We're thinking, "ummm."  Considering there were no signs, no menus, no labels, and no one telling us anything, we figured it was complimentary.  Come to find out that my biscuit and gravy, sausage, and bacon with orange juice cost almost 9 dollars.  It was a deal because it's 11.95 on the weekdays.  My friend got potatoes and a slice of bacon.  Hers was 9 dollars too.  My other friend was smart.  She just got a bowl of oatmeal and a bagel.  The oatmeal was 1.75, and the bagel was 1.25.  Needless to say, we weren't happy.  My friend who put the hotel in her name gave the front desk and manager a talking to.  The waitress took our bill from us, asked about linens we didn't get, and told us to have a nice day.  Apparently, we weren't the only ones shocked by this turn of events because a man who wanted to feed his family was given the same runaround.  That hotel needs to put up signs or something telling people about their breakfasts.  Also need to put the price of breakfast in the room guide.

Tyrone in the penguin tunnel at the Georgia Aquarium

This is the ocean tank with the whale shark inside.

So after that wonderful time, we went to the Georgia Aquarium.  That place is amazing.  So much fun was had by all.  If you haven't been to this beautiful aquarium, you are missing out.  God's creatures really are beautiful.  I know some of you animal rights people will get all up in arms over animals in captivity, but this place takes such good care of these animals.  It's a wonderful view of the animal kingdom.  My favorite was the Dolphin Tales show.  It was sponsored by some phone company.  Couldn't tell you which one, even though they said it a dozen million times.  I don't have pictures of the dolphin show.  They said the camera flash distracts the performers.  I know a copyright issue when I hear one, can't fool me.  Please go see this place, it's another bucket list item.

After we went to Moe's in downtown Atlanta for our free burrito, it was time to head home.  Driving in downtown Atlanta was quite the adventure.  Especially when someone's iPhone GPS had more of a delay than a rainy baseball game.  We were supposed to take I-85 back north, however (we really are baffles as to how this happened) I-85 never showed up and we ended up on I-75.  I-75 takes you from Atlanta to Chattanooga, TN.  Yep, we went the complete roundabout way back to Virginia.  However that roundabout way connected us to one of our friends and her family in Pigeon Forge.  So we crashed their dinner at the Mellow Mushroom.  After dinner, we drove home.  It was a rough, long drive.  However I wouldn't trade that adventure for anything.  Well, except a better warning that breakfast at the Hilton isn't free.

Oh, I also finally got some boiled peanuts.  Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate peanuts.  However, the one way I'll ever eat peanuts is boiled.  Found some in Georgia.  They were yummy.  My friends who never had any were not fans.

A big thank you to my friends for the wonderful experience.  I love you guys, and I appreciate you.