Atlanta Aquarium

It is hard to be impressed by an aquarium after seeing the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but this one is nice.

A little whimsey on the way in.

I haven't seen this guy since I spent a summer diving on Guam. He is the Lion Fish, very poisonous, and released into Atlantic waters by aquarists. They have spread as far as New York and are up to no good.

Discus fish from the Amazon

Pacific Sea Nettles, al la the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Pacific coral reef. The kids were having a great talk with the diver.

Cute little guy.

The tunnel under the BIG tank.

For $250 you can snorkel with the Whale Sharks. I though about it for 10 seconds.

 After the aquarium I walked along the Chattahoochee River and snagged a few caches. This one was called Viney Ball

 Life is good.

Exploring Roswell, GA

Since 1835 Big Creek has been the site of cotton and flour mills. Originally named Vickery Creek after the Cherokee woman owned a farm at the head waters.
This old mill site is connected to hiking trails across the stream by a covered bridge.

Nice trails and a nice hike

Looking down on the old dam that supplied water power for the mill.

Spring is coming.

Rusty old mill stuff

The penstock that delivered water to the mill's turbine.

How the mill worked.

Another great day on the road.

Atlanta Natural History Museum

My friend Laura and I visited yesterday. Georgia has a rich fossil record which this museum does an excellent job of displaying. But the central rotunda is dominated by two of the largest dinosaurs to roam the earth. They are a large herbivore, Argenitinosaurus being pursued by the carnivore  Giganotosaurus. Both roamed the badlands of Patagonia.

Laura in front of the Hadrosaur exhibit at the museum's entrance

Argenitinosaurus being stalked by Giganotosaurus in the foreground. 

Dioramas of indigenous Georga fauna past and present.

Mardi Gras World

Mardi Gras World is the major builder of floats. A float can cost between 60 and 100 thousand dollars to build. To re-theme it each year coasts between 6 and 10 thousand.

All those beads can be repurposed for art. 

This one was created by elementary students.

This on was created by an artist and priced at $20,000

 Heading back into the prop department.

Satchmo is in for repair. He is an older paper mache head that has been patched and goes to paint next. Modern pieces are made from styrofoam. 

Paint department

wall art.

People riding on the float are attached to a rope so they can not fall out. Also all the floats have a toilet on them.