12 Feb 2012 - AtlantaHistoryCenter

Today is the last day of our atlanta city pass usage.The Zoo which was one main reason to opt for the city pass could not be visited due to the cold weather. Instead we went to the Atlanta History Center which was quite good again. We could see an old mansion named the swan house - preserved and beautiful. The surroundings were also nice and rustic though they are not green.
A museum can serve as a good educational tool but it needs much more time than one day. We walked around and saw the various sections and from there we went to the Smyrna public library, took some books and are back home now, a quick blog before I take a few winks.

11Feb2012 - CocacolaCNNGeorgiaAquarium

With a running nose and general not-well, my enthusiasm for today's outing had the orange indicator on for refuelling soon. Even the places to be covered today were more like the extras that come along when you buy something you really want. Well that was the perception. First one was the world of coca-cola, well I don't like coke and I rarely drink coke either.Further coke does not exactly go well with pseudo-communism either. And I was looking forward to a much-ado about nothing experience where a bottle of fizz would be made to represent anything from world peace to the global unification of the human spirit.
This was the glass I was wearing as I walked in. A senior in red shirt started the coke-brag while I used the time to generally snap around. He then took us into a theater where they showed a coke commercial - a cartoon commercial which I hoped vibed with my child. When we walked out, a man dressed as a polar bear was giving families a chance to photograph with him. Another typical american gimmick - I will give you some happiness and then I will charge you for it. Similar pattern appeared again with another mascot from the movie we just saw. Next was the hulla-ballo about the coke secret- the secret being known half and half by two men who are not allowed to meet/talk etc! So far the glass I came in with matched.
Then we had another movie show where the movie was shown all around you as you stood in the center. You might wonder how you would see what is behind you when you are seeing what is in front of you.Well you know what - it doesn't matter. There is no content whatsoever. Lot of extravaganza over absolutely nothing. They showed coke froth rising and then they showed coke ads that revolved around giving you the chance to see everything. All these 3D shows/4D shows etc have unfortunately lacked so blatantly in content as far as whatever I have seen so far is concerned. Then the screen itself lifts off to reveal a vault within which apparently the coke secret is buried.
Then we entered a gallery that showed some history of coke and that was when things started to get interesting. A manual machine that was used to cap the coke bottles was one.A vintage yellow vehicle that was used to distribute coke. "Far Away" - A popular game of the 50s it seems where the country of origin imprinted on the bottle of coke is used to determine who pays. The farther the country of origin, the winner. The indifference had slowly given way to curiosity. I was now interested in noting how the advertising might have been in the good old days. "Drive Refreshed" , "Work Refreshed" taglines next to photographs of good lookers - a family photo with the tag line -"It is a family affair". Hmm interesting. Then a sampling of coke machines from various portions of the globe. Notes about how the troops were supplied coke, bottles of various sub-brands like fanta, minute maid etc that Coke owned.
Next came the manufacturing plant - now we were completely involved. Water treatment, Syrup tank, conveyor belts with coke bottles, a robot that takes bottles from the conveyor to crates.It is called the packaging robot. The the testing section - density test, taste test,volume test etc. One critical high-impact feedback I have here is 'Have a guide who explains what is happening'. It completes the experience.
Then there was a small collage of paintings of coke which were impressive. Another theater where they showed ads of coca cola around the world which was ok too.
4D show at the world of coca cola - this was one thing I had been looking forward to.Quite some work had been done on the forth dimension with rocking chairs , air gushes, water splashes etc in regular intervals. One section where the entire theater becomes a vehicle and the jerks and the camera representing the ride. It was fair - some work had been done and it had paid off. But again - the theme was not up to the mark - It was about someone trying to find the secret of the coke formula.Looking forward to a time when 4D movies integrate well.
Then came the section that was the icing of the experience. A section where you get drinks from various continents and a glass.So much of coke all the time had got Niya asking for coke and we were looking forward to just this. There were around fifty varieties of beverages from europe to africa to asia to the americas. There was also a small section where beverages manufactured exclusively in the US were available for tasting.This was the most 'fruit'ful experience with flavors ranging from melon to lemon, from banana to strawberry - colors ranging from green to blue to maroon to icy blue. As we walked out, we were happy and we also got a take away bottle of coke.
Our next visit point was the CNN headquarters where a very smart guide explained so many interesting nuances about how the telecast actually happens to the 2 billions homes worldwide. While I could gather minimal information myself, I could appreciate the design of the news script being displayed on the same screen through which the camera is shooting the reader.The words are also displayed two to three per line so that the news reader does not have to move his eyes from left to right while you are watching from your home. Another interesting technology was the use of green background to represent map. When your weather reporter talks about thunderstorms in the bay area circling his hands around the lower bottom of the tv screen, he has a blank green screen behind him.Well well , the CNN experience had taken off really well. where as Coke represented minimal value and maximum jazz, CNN did represent a lot of value.
We were then shown the various studios from where right then, news was being shot live.
Then we were back at Georgia aquarium to see the 4D show where a 3D cartoon about a fish added forth dimension as water splashed once in a while. This was probably the most integrated 4D experience though it was a cartoon. Before watching this one, we had seen a quick 20 minutes of frog section which was great - brilliant colors and some macro photography. After the 4D show, we went to two of the galleries where we had struggled through the crowd last week. Now, we had the whole aquarium to ourselves and I easily snapped quite a few snaps. We got a little relaxed and missed out on the possibility of seeing all the galleries but at the same time, it was great photography time.
Once outside, we rejoined with Brijesh,Deba and Prachi who had taken a different route today starting with Fernback museum. As the cold winds would not let us stand longer, we parted quickly to our respective parking lots.

Feb 5 2012 - Museum of Art / Niya cake cutting

Atlanta City pass took our group on it's second day to the High Museum of Art. Deba was the least interested of the group but he enjoyed the exhibits as much as every one else. I don't think any of us can talk a lot about having understood substantially whatever was exhibited but at the same time each of us has been impressed / has been communicated to by the various art pieces on display - the pieces that impresses one might be different from pieces that impresses another.
The beginning section was core Picasso and I could gather close to nothing but as we moved along , various paintings left impresssions - one that comes to my mind now is the painting of a stamp sheet - it is a simple sheet of stamps with two thousand identical stamps may be - the shades of the stamps would vary a bit as it would if you were seeing a sheet of stamps yourself.
I have seen this earlier too but the veil over the face of a marble statue through which the face is visible. Sometimes it is the uniqueness of ideas , the freshness of perspective that impresses and sometimes it is the exactness of effort, the detailing, the pain that has definitely got into the work that impresses - the stamp picture for instance. Paintings of nature was another recurring theme which were very beautiful to watch. Still life paintings that look as real - a saucer of fruits for one with the depth of a bunch of grapes caught to perfection.
Hunger struck hard and we had a very tasty thai lunch at around 4PM , thanks to Deba. Lamb , Fish , Chicken with mouthwatering Thai spices. It is the best meal I have had in the US as on date. Tamarind Seed is the name of the Bistro I believe. After this , the plan was to walk around downtown but it was windy and we did not want to risk Niya's health. Brijesh, Deba and Prachi went off to the park where they had a leisurely time where as we went to Cherian's to shop for the week. The plan was that we would meet again at our house for cake cutting of our daughter who is turning three tomorrow. Deba called as they were about to reach our home where as we were just done shopping.
So we bought the cake and went with Brijesh to Deba's home from where we cut the birthday cake. Cameras switched hands as photographers turned into photographed and vice versa. A quick half an hour at Deba's home and we had a good set of memories in photographs. There was a moon rainbow today as well. We are back home and Niya is playing with her small kitchen play set while Divya and myself are learning how to use her xylophone.

Georgia Aquarium - 4th Feb 2012

Had got up early(9:30 am(earlier than my wife and kid)) and used the opportunity to complete the last of the smyrna library rented movies - the scent of green papaya. 10 minutes into the movie , Brijesh Manoharan got displayed on my home phone followed by the ring - Deba had got his drivers license and had hatched a plan to go to Snow mountain. Groggy with sleep, the plan was agreed on and later cancelled as Snow mountain is risky for our daughter Niya. The plan changed it's destination to the Georgia Aquarium. Brijesh,Deba,Prachi(Deba's wife) reached our home - we had rice soup(kanji) for lunch with papadam and achchar as we were running short of time.
GPS got us there, bought tickets, started the fish watch through six sections of the world's largest aquarium. Our schedule was tight - there was some tour planned at 4PM and a dolphin show at 5:30PM.We were scrumming around, faced with the challenge of filling in as much sights as we could from the time left. There were so many beautiful colors , so many designs and so much of the ocean world right in front of us. There were sections where while we stood in a tunnel, huge fishes swam across over our heads. The sight took on a mystical touch as the sun pierced through and glittered the water.Before long, I could see the camera take a life of it's own and pull me this way and that way, oblivious of the crowd, oblivious of who I am standing in the way of, aware only of the beauty around. I took photos thalang and velang.
I will let Niya talk about the Dolphin show.
Dolphin show was amazing. As I sat on my dad's lap, I shrieked out as I saw two dolphins jump up in the air. There was some crazy theme being built around of a sailor which I luckily could get neither head nor tail of as my father sat frustrated at the extent of pointlessness in the show. Dolphins did other tricks too. I could see aunties and uncles riding over dolphins. Dolphins would somersault , reverse somersault , fly up and hit a ball , swim around in patterns - all in the midst of loud music and extravagant light show.I had a real great time here.
The trip back stopped for dinner at Chi Pot Le(Mexican restaurant) where we had burrito bowl for dinner and parted with a partially planned tomorrow.

Epilogue :
This was the first outing we have had as we are nearing 100 days in the US. It has been very tough here and we were desperately in need of a break. It would get formal if I thank Deba and Brijesh for setting the ball rolling. Hopefully, life in the US is set of get better - the work to setup home , to buy a car, the financial pinch to repay my friends is all hopefully past. This week was a great week in terms of movies too as I just finished 'The scent of Green Papaya' after which I took up this blog. The Prestige, La Petite Soldat, The Black Book were the earlier ones - each setting it's mark. Movie watching has taken a leap for the better here in the US - with a bigger 40 inch LED TV , a free public library from where you watch originals in DVD/Blu-ray as opposed to torrents and a much smaller hall that enhances the movie.