I have traveled some around the United States, but mostly in Texas, the Midwest, the Northeast. I have passed through Mississippi and Louisiana, but I had never been to Alabama or Georgia -- except for changing planes in Atlanta a few times, or the Carolinas.
This past week, I got a chance to take a road trip with a friend, and we headed toward Memphis. I walked around on Beale Street. That was great. I thought it would be the highlight of the trip as I ate in Jerry Lawler's restaurant down there. It was late in the day as we headed out, and we ended up staying at a hotel in Grenada, MS. The next morning I kind of wanted to go on down to the Gulf Coast, but my friend wanted to go to Stone Mountain.
We cut across Alabama, through Birmingham, and on to Atlanta and got a hotel at Stone Mountain, GA. The next morning was cool and damp. We drove around the mountain, a massive, naked granite uplift. We stopped by the grist mill and took some pictures then walked up to view the huge bas relief carved into the rock --
After leaving Stone Mountain, we headed for Savannah. As navigator, I accidentally caused us to drive past a sign that said "Whistle Stop Cafe". This led to a detour through Juliette, GA, which was where the location shooting for the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" was done.
Full disclosure: I am not gay (NTTAWWT), however, my traveling companion is a female. I was confident this was not the highlight of my trip.
A little further down the road, we reached Macon, GA. There is a place there called The Big House:
I thought this would be the highlight of my trip.
The next day we walked around Savannah. It is a beautiful city, but it does smell funny -- all that Spanish moss hanging off the live oaks, the boggy ground, and such. Low country makes me nervous.
The little squares are pretty, and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is truly awe-inspiring. I sat down inside the church and began to pray. I started crying. Neither words nor pictures can do justice to the other-worldliness of being in this sacred space.
This was probably the highlight of my trip.
Or not.
I'm going to end here for now because this is getting pretty long. I may post more tomorrow.
This past week, I got a chance to take a road trip with a friend, and we headed toward Memphis. I walked around on Beale Street. That was great. I thought it would be the highlight of the trip as I ate in Jerry Lawler's restaurant down there. It was late in the day as we headed out, and we ended up staying at a hotel in Grenada, MS. The next morning I kind of wanted to go on down to the Gulf Coast, but my friend wanted to go to Stone Mountain.
We cut across Alabama, through Birmingham, and on to Atlanta and got a hotel at Stone Mountain, GA. The next morning was cool and damp. We drove around the mountain, a massive, naked granite uplift. We stopped by the grist mill and took some pictures then walked up to view the huge bas relief carved into the rock --
After leaving Stone Mountain, we headed for Savannah. As navigator, I accidentally caused us to drive past a sign that said "Whistle Stop Cafe". This led to a detour through Juliette, GA, which was where the location shooting for the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" was done.
Full disclosure: I am not gay (NTTAWWT), however, my traveling companion is a female. I was confident this was not the highlight of my trip.
A little further down the road, we reached Macon, GA. There is a place there called The Big House:
I thought this would be the highlight of my trip.
The next day we walked around Savannah. It is a beautiful city, but it does smell funny -- all that Spanish moss hanging off the live oaks, the boggy ground, and such. Low country makes me nervous.
The little squares are pretty, and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is truly awe-inspiring. I sat down inside the church and began to pray. I started crying. Neither words nor pictures can do justice to the other-worldliness of being in this sacred space.
This was probably the highlight of my trip.
Or not.
I'm going to end here for now because this is getting pretty long. I may post more tomorrow.
ROAD TRIP!!!! It's been awhile since I've been on one. I'm envious. Glad you are having fun.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment of sacred space. Did I mention that in our little, out-of-the-way county a traditional Catholic group has just built a seminary? Ten miles from our place, as the crow flies. I went to the dedication and the one and only public tour of the facilities. It was magnificent! Soon as they finish the seminary they are going to start the Cathedral. A freaking Cathedral! At the end of the video shown on that page there are some computer graphics of the Cathedral.
http://www.newseminaryproject.org/
That is pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteI had planned to take a swing through Virginia. I might have gotten out to your place -- which really would have been the highlight of my trip, but, I don't know, I ran out of underwear or something. I did make it to Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and the Vanderbilt estate in Asheville.
Seems like you had a great time. Good on you.
ReplyDeleteWell Mush, you are always welcome to stop by. Just give us a "heads up" so we can scrape the chicken poop off the front porch.
ReplyDelete