So many orchids..

The orchid house at the Atlanta Botanical Garden contains orchids of all shapes, colours and sizes.

Here are just a few of them...

Paul Simon at the Fox Theatre

Last year when we were in Atlanta I did a tour of the extraordinary Fox Theatre.  

Built in 1929 in the atmospheric theatre tradition and used as a movie theatre and then a Shriner temple, it was saved from demolition and has now been fully restored as a busy venue for theatre and concerts.

I had thought that it would be good to see it in action and full of people and checked what was on this week. 

Hence this evening I found myself at the Fox Theatre with 4,500 others (mostly of similar age to me) for a concert by Paul Simon, the first one on his extensive tour of North America.

The venue has a bright blue ceiling complete with moving clouds and twinkling stars so that you could almost believe that you were outside.

It was difficult to photograph the stage when Paul Simon and his band were playing - it was a little way away!

Once the audience in the stalls were on their feet and the lights were on them it was easier to take a picture - although they did look like the images of the terracotta warriors in China.

It was a great concert featuring many old favourite numbers as well as newer material and it was a very appreciative audience and a truly magical place.

Chihuly in the Garden - Atlanta

Last year we visited the 'Chihuly in the Garden' exhibit at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.  (See 23 April 2015).

When we heard that a new exhibition was coming to Atlanta Botanical Garden and that we would be here for the opening weekend, we were very pleased!

We opted for the twilight ticket so that we could visit the garden in daylight and enjoy the flowers too and would then see the glass sculptures illuminated as night fell.

The botanical gardens are divided into a formal garden with parterre, flower beds, edible garden and rose garden and then a wooded area with a canopy boardwalk. 

The sculptures were carefully placed in each area, as well as several large tableaux and some smaller sculptures in the orchid and tropical rainforest conservatories.

In addition there were sculptures in the Japanese Garden..

Because yesterday was such a dull and damp day, the sculptures really came into their own when illuminated..

A wonderful exhibition and a great garden (of which more tomorrow!).

Reflections of Atlanta

We had a very early start this morning with a taxi at 6am and our flight to Atlanta at 8.15.  Fortunately on arrival we were able to check in to the hotel and we set off to explore.  However the heavens opened and so we sheltered in a bar and this photo of the flooded street and (faint) reflection of the green traffic light was taken through the window.

This afternoon we walked into Piedmont Park.  The skies remained stormy and the dark clouds were reflected in the still water of the lake.

We watched a heron fishing in the rain.

And two tiny ducklings, their yellow feathers reflected in the dark lake surface.

At the end of the afternoon we headed to the Atlanta Botanical Garden to see both the flowers and also the Dale Chihuly glass installations.  This large frog reflected in a pond was very vocal!

As the skies darkened further some of the glass sculptures were reflected in water around them.

We have lots more photos of the park, garden and glass but it is now very late..a long day!