Having crossed the street I immediately had the option to visit Burger King, but decided against it as I thought I would try them later. Now, across the main three lane road, was, of all things, an Aldi supermarket! This weirded me out big time, I know that they are a major German chain so I expected them to have a reach all over Europe, including my home country England. But USA? Totally and utterly unexpected!
Thing is, I wanted something cooked, so carried o wealking but only place I saw, besides Burger King, open that early, was a Mcdonalds. Normally I hate these places, preferring to call them cackdonalds. However, I thought to myself, that as I was stateside I should at least give it a try. Went inside and scanned the menu, only thing taking my fancy being a Southern style chicken biscuit... It was fine, not amazing, but the chicken tasted like chicken and it wasn't as greasy as I expected it to be. Score!
After this I just came back to the room and spoke to a few friends online for a short while, before I set off, around 10am to scout out the venues. Now, where I am, is a place off sports avenue over the other side of a motorway so I was wondering how I would reach the venue on foot. Consulted google maps and got given two routes. Now the first was the shorter one in terms of as the crow flies, so decided to give it a shot.
At first it was all fine, as it was just walking along the main road. However, I soon reached a problem when it turned out that to the get to the cobb galleria centre and the waverley hotel, I would need to cross eight lanes of traffic! This was terrifying, but only the beginning. I first of all stayed on my side of the main highway and walked down under a bridge beneath the motorway. To my horror ahead all the pavements were dug up and accompanied by signs stating that the paths were not in use. Seeing no other option, I ignored the signs and walked on. Eventually I see a footbridge over all eight lanes, but way above my head and no route up to it from the road I was at the side of! There was a road into a hotel, but no pathway and even at the top of that, no access to the bridge.
Reluctantly I returned to the main road I was following and carried on walking upwards, hopeful of finding a guided crossing over the eight lanes as I had seen at the end of Sports avenue... I eventually found one, way further past the galleria and hotel... But the pedestrian guide lights were not working! I just thought to myself at this point that it would be suicidal to even contemplate jaywalking it so I gave up and returned to the hotel.
On my way back, I stopped in at a Wendy's burger joint to give them a try. I had heard all about Wendy's courtesy of Noah Antwiler's riff review of their training videos on www.spoonyexperiment.com so out of honour for the Spoony one I thought I would indulge. I looked at their menu and one thing caught my attention, a thing called the baconator. That name alone sounded epic so I decided to give that a shot.
One thing I had forgotten about the riff review of their training material, was that they call the customers guests, so I am there, waiting in line and it took about four attempts on the behalf of the assistance shouting "next guest please!" for me to realise it was my turn to order! Absolute and utter brainfart right there!
So I get this burger in my hands at last. Essentially, it is a half-pound beef burger with loads of bacon, and the meat was very tasty indeed. There was one fatal flaw, that I should have foreseen and asked to avoid... That was it being loaded with ketchup and mayo. YUCK! I do not like either of these things, so combining them is an even worse idea! I soldiered on, but I think if I go for that again I'll state no sauces of any kind please!
I also stopped at a petrol station nearby and picked up a six pack of extra pale by an Atlanta brewery called 'Sweet water brewing company" and I liked what I tasted, as shown by the following video.
So anyway, once back at the hotel, I began scouting again. On google maps there was a second walking route suggested and I gave it a shot. This one made a lot more sense, in that the road goes over the motorway and leads to the rear of a shopping mall. Then it is a matter of crossing through the mall parking lot and onto the footbridge that I had seen but been unable to reach. Thing is, there was a flaw in the plan that the road side I walked on ended, and the only way forward I saw immediately was this.
I bit the bullet and walked over this, terrified out of my skin as I was pretty much walking a tightrope next to three lanes of oncoming traffic! I have since discovered that over on the other side of the road, where this shot was taken from, there is a wide path, that leads onto a completely encased footbridge so I am now using that. This terror was born of my own creation, so yes, point and laugh, I deserve it! However, before the mall, there is a crossing meant to serve as a way to reach the mall and also some bus stops, which is not entirely safe.
Not the most enticing waiting point
This shot is of the corner of a four way junction and that pole has two buttons on it, one to cross the right, and one to cross straight ahead. There is no other waiting position aside from back on the carpark! This, needless to say, is also quite brown trousers in terms of moments due to the American driving laws that allow people to turn right on a red light! So extra caution is needed to show you are crossing, while on the clock to cross the road in entirety!
Anyway after this I make it where the venues are and now know my path, not entirely safe but it has allowed me the ability to get there! So as a final compendium to the day, I went back to the main area I am staying at for my dinner. I had heard that near to where I am staying is a bit of a hidden gem, a Japanese place called 'Minato' so I decided I had to check it out.
On the main road there is a Papa John's pizza joint, a petrol station and golf emporium. At this place was a sign pointing behind the building saying 'Minato at rear' Due to this, I expected one of those tiny little sushi belt places, as I didn't see what else would be there. But when I get down to the rear of these stores, there is a traditional Japanese roof design over a door, I walk in, and am greeted by an amazing looking place.
It had loads of room, a beautiful collage near the entrance of all things Japanese and a really quiet atmosphere. Having been sat down I consulted the menu and settled on that old favourite Sukiyaki. Now, in my hometown, there is an excellent Japanese place called Samsi that does this. It has really thick udon noodles, a really sweet sauce and damned good meat. This one out here had a much deeper bowl, different noodles, but the same level of excellent taste, it was delicious! But by god was it big, I barely finished it, got back to my hotel, collapsed on bed watching TV and passed out full of food and beer! Crazy.
So day three begins with me having the intention of going into downtown Atlanta, main reason, is that I am actually in Smyrna a bit north. Before I was in a position to set off though, I went to that Aldi to get some standard supplies like orange juice, chocolate and crisps to snack on whenever I wanted. Having shopped something else got my attention, a local comics store. I walked inside and was greeted with all sorts of interesting stuff. Wary about cost and weight, I settled on a companion guide to The Walking Dead about characters who are alive and dead, quite a nice read actually. And also a copy of my favourite X-men story arc The dark phoenix saga.
Before I knew what had happened, it was 1pm, so I decided that I wanted to set out through the area and make my way downtown. I walked out though and soon found this stunning little place.
Being here just felt lovely, so I sat myself on a park bench and just started to read, soaking up the sun, the nice breeze the quiet. Though I shattered said quiet with the following Vlog: -
Once I had finished my reading and the clock had got past 3pm, I decided that I was gonna head back to the hotel to dump my stuff and prepare to get my access badge, as the website still said it was available from wednesday night at this time. Before I went though, I decided to get a closer look at the lake for some shots and got some rather nice images.
The one that got away
Turtle gathering
"Which way is the bar?"
After enjoying this for some time, I got back to the apartment and dropped off everything but the ruckback I have since it had my documents. I took my overland route to the hotel and got there, only to be informed that the convention people weren't even there! I was like 'oh... Well better wait another day then!' I checked back online and it was still showing the wednesday availability, but this morning it had been updated to show thursday. A bit of a blooper there!
Since I was close to the Cumberland mall I actually thought I would go and check it out. Setup wise it isn't much different to those I have encountered in England, except that ours are slap bang in the middle of town, rather than ones you have to drive out to. I suppose this must be what it is like for those who go to places like The Trafford Centre back home? (Curiously, I have never been!)
Not a lot took my fancy though as it was mostly clothes stores, there was a Gamestop and I visited it just for looks. I doubt anything would play on my computer back home though so didn't buy anything, but I did overhear some dude buying a game and the woman serving asking if he had pre-ordered it. He was saying that he hadn't and she suddenly began orating. "Well if you had pre-ordered it, I have to inform you that you'd have got a, b, c..." I felt like going, "what is this? Here's what you could have won?" It felt total unnecessary in my view.
Final thing I did here today was get some food from the foodcourt of this mall, where I found a cajun chicken place. It was actually very nice indeed, had everything from sweet stuff like bourbon chicken to some really hot ones. I gave away my Englishness quite easily here as one of them was a basil chicken. I asked for that and the lady was 'basil? Oh you mean bayzil." I just nodded and then explained that I was from England and we say it differently. I got asked a few questions about the way I sounded since I wasn't as refined as she thought English people spoke. I explained that the common English accent heard is rarely, if ever, used in my country, and that most of us have very rough and ready style. I think she got the point, either that or she didn't understand me, answers on a postcard!
So that concludes days two and three. Now today, I have all day free. The convention badge collection is not until 6pm, so I am actually going to get to downtown Atlanta. Near that mall was a customer service building so going to visit there and get some information on the best way to get to Atlanta and pay it a visit. Hopefully lots of photos and videos to come soon. Until next time, sets sail.
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