LAT 33.5 LON 84.29
Marietta, GA
A little later than planned as we were out carousing with our niece Maggie (aka walking around a town square then eating tacos).
Today started out at the Museum of Appalachia, a combination old-timey town, petting zoo, and museum of oddities. The latter, involving 250K objects, was collected by one guy.
They had sheep…
…pigs and peacocks (that natural combination).
Some of the oddities were very odd indeed.
Loved these quotes about Cordell Hull.
Here’s a WWI German machine gun.
Some expert basketwork.
An example of “found object” art.
I thought my friend Cat would appreciate this.
This is a perpetual motion machine, built in the 1800’s. The inventor insisted on removing a few parts so others couldn’t steal his idea. Unfortunately, he left it that way, and no one can figure out how to fix it.
Here’s a creepy metal coffin—the plate above goes over the face hole.
Munster, go home!
Here’s a lovely piece of early 20th century racism.
This guy’s history is far more interesting than the mini-mill he built.
If you’ve ever seen those concrete crosses, here’s where they came from.
They moved this cabin from the spot where Mark Twain was apparently conceived (but never lived).
“Cures man and beast…”
This is the cabin used in the old Daniel Boone TV series (Daniel Boone was a maaan…yes, a biiiig maaan…)
Here’s an old moonshine still.
Then, we moved through Knoxville, and the fabulous Sunsphere. This was home to a World’s Fair, and made famous on The Simpsons for storing wigs.
Moving on to lunch at City Cafe Diner—a really good sammich, and a piece of cake that got devoured before we took a pic (so here it is in the dessert case).
I believe the cake is dense enough that light cannot escape it.
We later came upon an atomic-powered mouse that was terrorizing an exterminating company.
Moving on to an impressive rock garden behind a church, with lilliputian buildings made out of pebbles, shells, and cement.
Finally, we made it to Marietta, GA. Home our niece and Big Chicken (she’s not a big chicken, it’s just an attraction at a KFC—forget it).
She also took us to the Marietta Square, and a huge food market. We had some yummy tacos, and they had margaritas (I was the designated driver).
After some playtime with Maggie’s dog Ripley, it was time to return to the hotel and collapse.
Tomorrow, Atlanta, pecans, onions, and St. Nick’s southern HQ.