Hotlanta?

Greetings from Atlanta. As predicted, work has precluded my enjoying much of anything this fine city has to offer. I've walked through Centennial Park and have done a little bit of shopping, but the rest has been wall-to-wall salt mine. I have, however, seen the outside of the Georgia Aquarium and and the Coca-Cola museum. Despite its nickname, the weather here has been even milder than it was in Germany.

On the supernatural front, I had a déjà vu experience when I checked into my hotel. It finally occurred to me that I have probably seen it featured in multiple episodes of "Cops". While the amenities are not exactly five star (I think a SWAT team put the dents in my room's door), in compensation I had the rare and exciting experience of seeing a cab driver passed out in his taxi with the engine running outside the hotel's front doors. He was slouched over, half hanging out of the cab. I found his occasional groans oddly reassuring. As they say in the commercials, priceless.

Note to self: find out who booked me in this hotel and have them sacked (or at least have their meal card stamped "no dessert").

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go for a jog before 6:00 a.m. in downtown Atlanta (thanks to the combination of jetlag and a creepy room). Downtown jogging is almost always an interesting experience in contrasts. You see lots of yuppie types (like me I guess) running around in $100 jogging shoes, stepping around and otherwise actively avoiding some of less fortunate (and sometimes aggressive) denizens of the urban jungle. Puts a stay at a bad hotel in much needed perspective. Note to self: give a little to more to those who need it.

I'm headed back to Deutschland mañana and can't wait. What can you say about the family? As hellbent as they seem to be on completely extinguishing the the already scarce quantities of melanin left in my mop, I miss the little scamps (and their Mom). It will be great to see my Mom and Stepdad as well. I'm not exactly sure what my Stepdad and I will do while he's there, but rest assured that nontrivial amount of beer will be involved. I've been pacing myself in Atlanta in preparation.

At dinner last night I noticed that German beer is much higher on the octane scale than what's normally sold in the States. I had a couple of Dos Equis with dinner and literally didn't feel them. After a couple of Hefe's, I've been known to pick fights with bar stools (and end up getting my butt kicked).

All in all, I must admit I don't miss the States much. The same can't be said (of course) for many of the people there. That probably sounds harsher than I intend, but I'm really enjoying Germany so far and am looking forward to continuing our adventures there. This time tomorrow I'll be crammed into an aluminum tube with hundreds of other unfortunate souls screaming toward Frankfurt. In a strange way, I'm looking forward to it.