Senior Missionary Outing to Cyclorama

On a Saturday earlier this month Elder and Sister Gibson picked us up to go to the Cyclorama at the Atlanta Zoo where we met up with most of the missionary couples serving in our mission for our monthly outing. The 16,000 sq. foot painting standing 40' high depicts the Battle of Atlanta and was very impressive, but the truly amazing part was that the audience rotated around the painting while a narrative played, telling the story of this battle that was the turning point in the Civil War. The painting was originally commissioned for $1100 as a campaign "poster" for a military officer planning to run for the presidency. The "would be candidate", after surviving the war, died of pneumonia two weeks before the painting was finished, so he never even saw it. Today, that painting is worth $23 million. Before finding a permanent home here on the grounds of the Atlanta Zoo, it was transported on wagons after being rolled into sections and displayed throughout the south. After leaving Cyclorama twelve of us tried to eat at Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles, but there was an hour and a half wait. The restaurant was located in a seedy section of Atlanta, which surprised us. "No weapons" was etched on the window! We opted for Plan B and went to The Varsity across from the Georgia Tech Campus. It is a famous Burger and Fry place...I enjoyed the company, but the food was not that great. These days I am used to wheat berry chili, baked sweet potatoes, almond peanut butter, home-made pizza made with a coconut flour crust, and lots of salads....but I am not strange!