Saturday and Sunday: Atlanta

Saturday
Our flight down to Atlanta brought us into the world's busiest airport mid-morning. We were taken into the Downtown area and dropped off at our the very nice Fairfield Hotel, which was a nice step up in comfort after the Youth Hostels.

Walking around Downtown Atlanta

We had a few hours prior to the scheduled tour of the CNN Headquarters, which were mainly spent relaxing in the Olympic Centennial Park, a large public space which was created for Atlanta's hosting of the 1996 Olympics as part of the revitalisation of the Downtown area, which had fallen into decline prior to that.

Just walking around was an interesting experience culturally, as Downtown Atlanta is a majority African-American area (white folk tend to live in the leafier areas in the north of the city), and we encountered a couple of fiery Malcolm X-style street preachers. Their words were exceptions to the rule and Southern hospitality was a feature of our time in Atlanta. It wasn't unusual to hear the students reporting: "Everyone is so nice here!".

The local kids love the fountains at the Olympic Park

Then it was time for the CNN Tour for most, although some of the girls were too tired and ill to attend this, so went back to the hotel with me to check in and rest. Those who went were shown around the CNN studios, getting a behind the scenes look at how the first 24 news network functions.

Sunday
On Sunday morning we were picked up by our bus driver Warren, who will be with us for the mini-tour of the three Alabama towns of Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham. We have large, comfortable bus, which dropped us off in time for the 10:35am service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. EBC was Martin Luther King's home church and it proudly continues his work in the community, preaching a message of peace, love and justice. The service had an incredible sense of vitality and togetherness - inevitably some said: "We have to make Chapel more like this!" We were also impressed with the special Easter Sunday dress - from the little boys in waistcoats and bow ties to the woman sporting the largest hat I have ever seen. All were wonderfully welcoming and friendly to us as visitors.

 Inside EBC prior to the service.

 Outside the church afterwards.

After the service, we crossed the road to visit the historic Ebenezer Baptist, where Martin Luther King preached, but which has since become too small for the modern EBC congregation. We sat for a couple of minutes in silence in the old wooden pews, listening to a tape of a sermon from Dr King. Next door is the tomb of Dr King and his wife Coretta, where we stopped briefly to pay our respects.

 The historic EBC, directly across the road. 

Quiet contemplation inside the old EBC.  

 At the tomb of Dr and Mrs King

Warren arrived to drive us out of Atlanta and over the state line into Alabama. Confusingly, this action set our clocks back an hour. This evening we got established in our Montgomery hotel, before heading out for dinner together to the nearby restaurant area.

Our hotel has a great deal of old Southern charm.