I'm in Atlanta for the next two days for a conference, my first trip to the South since the 1980's - and that earlier trip (which, until today, was the only trip) may not count since it was a whirlwind tour of Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, and Key West, hardly "Heart of Dixie" material. I am dutifully neglecting a layover I had last year at the Cincinnati Airport, which I was surprised to learn is actually located in Kentucky; nothing better explains my estrangement from Red State America than my ignorance of basic geographical facts like this one.
I'm staying at a Holiday Inn that's more-or-less in the middle of nowhere. The conference is being held at a Hyatt closer to where the action is, but I travel cheaply, so will have to hoof it over to the more exciting part of town in the morning. My hotel is a long block away from Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves, and I imagine that the area's more active during baseball season. The torch from the '96 Olympic Games is across the street, but seems a bit forlorn and unremarkable now that its moment has passed. The closest restaurant is one of those joint KFC/Taco Bell things - located across the street from the ballpark - so I'll be eating in style tonight. The best thing about the hotel so far: free wireless.
It's probably a stereotype, but the people I've bumped in to so far have been quite friendly. The poor woman sitting next to me on the airport shuttle tried to strike up conversation, but I was too (symbolically) buried in my copy of The New Yorker. I loosened up by the time I arrived at the hotel, and even shared a pleasant conversation with a room service employee taking coffee to another floor. I ended the conversation by saying "I'll have to get some, too," which came off sounding a bit more lewd than I might have wanted. But I really like a good cup of coffee.
Posted by gminter at November 11, 2004 06:37 PM