Ride the Serpent

Well, this weekend I got to do a number of my favorite things all at once. I traveled to a place I wasn't familiar with, met great intelligent new people, expanded my knowledge from museums and aquariums, and talked "geek". Atlanta was everything I expected it to be, but with nicer architecture. It was shady, big, traffic, had good restaurants, interesting subcultures and an expansive foot print. The people I met were interesting, educated and dynamic, yet none seemed to be looking at Atlanta as a permanent place of residence.

So, I made this trip with someone I really barely knew to a place I vaguely imagined to meet people I've only heard of. My favorite way to do things. I think traveling helps to expand the mind and experience cultures, but traveling blindly creates an atmosphere of freedom and heightens your senses. It allows one to relax, not plan for much more then food and enjoy all as you "Ride the Serpent" of experience. Once you let go and expect to expect nothing everything seems to be possible, connections are made, and you expand your conscience, further developing you as a person.

In contrast to that, if you put yourself in that situation and try to control every aspect you only alienate the people you meet, miss the knowledge that is presented you and stay on edge cause you know you can't control any of it. And this seemed to be the case with one individual in the group. It did make for an interesting show and it's always fun to try to break people down to their core, see what makes them tick and predict how they will act in a given situation.

Some Sites:

Bodies
http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/

Whale Sharks are amazing!
http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

Their rip-off of Nemo.
http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/exploreTheAquarium/4DTheater.aspx

Some good Burgers and beer for brunch.
http://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com/TheVortex/index.htm

Buildings close to where we stayed one night.
http://p.vtourist.com/1820558-Midtown_Atlanta_at_Night-Atlanta.jpg

Dinner Friday Night
http://www.taqueriadelsol.com/