Black Southern Baptist Church

My brother, a friend of ours -who we convinced to to attend- and I, all attended sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. The church is the same church that Martin Luther King Jr. co-pastored from 1960 - 68- actually, they built a brand new church in 1999 that sits across from the first church. The overall experience was wonderful. The people were exceptionally hospitable- at the beginning of service, they have all guests stand. At which point members of the church come over and welcome you to their church. Southern Baptists really know how to bring energy into a sermon. Our pastor did not deliver a stereotypical "loud and energetic" sermon, but he did instill energy into his members. Many times throughout the service, you would hear people screaming "Amen!", "yep!", "that's right", or "Uh huh!". In addition to an interesting sermon, the music did a successful job of pulling every one in. At one point, every member of the church, us included, held hands began singing, and swaying back and forth (imagine a room of 1500 people, holding hands, singing, and swaying from side to side, it was really a sight).

We left Atlanta today. We had been staying with a friend of my brothers. She was knee deep in school activities and didn't have much free time. This actually worked out perfectly, as we were free to walk the streets of Atlanta blindly, experiencing whatever it was that we'd happen to see. One of these blind experiences was the Apex (African American Panoramic Experience) Museum. Though small, the museum was quite interesting. Did you know that African Americans invented:

-The street letter drop mailbox with a hinged door that closed to protect the mail, was invented by Philip B. Downing.

-The gas mask was invented by Garrett Morgan, an African-American inventor. Morgan used his gas mask to rescue miners who were trapped underground in a noxious mine. Soon after, Morgan was asked to produce gas masks for the US Army. He was also the first person to patent a traffic light.

-Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928) was an African-American inventor who was a member of Edison's research team, which was called "Edison's Pioneers." Latimer improved the newly-invented incandescent light bulb by inventing a carbon filament (which he patented in 1881). Latimer also developed the first toilet that could be used in trains (1874) and a forerunner of the air conditioner (1886) called "Apparatus for cooling and disinfecting".

-The idea of a blood bank was pioneered by Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904-1950). Dr. Drew was an American medical doctor and surgeon who started the idea of a blood bank and a system for the long term preservation of blood plasma (he found that plasma kept longer than whole blood). Dr. Drew set up and operated the blood plasma bank at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, NY. Drew's project was the model for the Red Cross' system of blood banks, of which he became the first director.

-Oscar E. Brown held the first horseshoe patent. The invention relates to double or compound horseshoes, which consist of an upper shoe secured to the hoof of the animal and a lower auxiliary shoe removable from the upper shoe. The object of Brown's invention is the provision of a secure and reliable lock for fastening the lower shoe to the upper shoe, which permits the lower shoe to be readily applied and removed from the upper shoe whenever it becomes necessary to renew the lower shoe or resharpen it calks. http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/brown.oscare.inventor.html

Amendment

So, in my last blog I wrote how Destin and many of the other beaches around the area are a bubble surrounded by poverty. I then went on to write that adjunct poverty is easily within reach- 2 hours north, 2 hours west. I need to amend the distance. After driving North, away from Destin, the view was much different then I expected. Poverty was much, much closer then I originally suspected. Driving about 20 minutes outside the bubble, one began to encounter impoverished areas, forgotten by time. The South has been a wonderful experience, the people have been extremely friendly and personable. Sadly, something I didn't expect was the dire conditions that many of these people live within.

Short and sweet

Internet access in the US is... Shall we say... something that isn't traveler friendly. My brother and I are currently in Destin Florida. The best way to describe the place is a bubble of the South. Two ours west of here and you experience adjunct poverty, two hours north, and the same thing. Yet, step into this area around the beach, and all you will find are expensive cars and expensive houses. The place, in some respects reminds me of what I'd think Cancun to be, a big resort. Catering to those who want sun, sand, golf, and quiet.

Last night was spent in a parking lot -obviously in our camper- across from 1.4 million dollar condos. This morning we awakened to a gorgeous sunrise and then spent some time swimming in crystal clears waters.

I'm currently writing this from Starbucks. They are charging me $3 an hour to use the Internet.

In a little while, we will begin driving the 331 north, to Montgomery, AL.

On the road, finally.

Well, after a crash course in the art of auto mechanics, finalizing everything for the trip and convincing my brother to join...

My 1983 VW camper is very special. It's a special aftermarket conversion camper; It has a very special and loyal owner base; Offers it's own special and unique look when camped at an RV campsite -It's actually a little funny parking the thing next to some of the monstrous RV's; Is referred to by it's own special name 'Rig" by the real RV owners; and also turned out to have it's own special problems, that needed special attention before I was able to take the road trip. What's especially special about all of this is that I've now gone through almost every part of this vehicle. Allowing me to use a new title "novice mechanic". If you're wondering whether I did all the work on the car, by myself... well, the answer isn't straightforward, but a little bit yes and a little bit no.

I currently write from within a hotel room- "a hotel room!?... why aren't you in the car, I thought this was a road trip?" The question is valid, and up until last night, my brother and I were sleeping in the car. Because yesterday was my b'day, we thought we'd splurge and stay a night at a hotel... So, as I was saying, I currently write this from a hotel room, in New Orleans.
We drove in yesterday afternoon, from Baton Rogue. The drive was quite scenic. While in Baton Rogue a very sweet lady in the capitol gave us a map titled "Up A Lazy River" and said it was a must if we had the chance. The drive basically guides you through some of New Orleans oldest Plantations- one place was presented as a fathers wedding gift to his 15, that's right(!), 15 year old daughter. It's currently on the market, so if anyone has a couple mil and is interested in owning a plantation built sometime in the 1800's, let me know.

Entering New Orleans was quite a shock. The best descriptive might be to think of Guatemala city, in a run down part of town, with most homes abandoned by the owners. I heard so much about how the city is still getting re-built, but some of the things I saw were just ridiculous. Imagine people living in their home but only half a roof remains; vehicles still overturned; street lights and stop lights still aren't operational (they currently have stop signs posted at the stop lights); trees still laying in the middle of the road. I don't know what the city has been doing for the last 7 months, but I'd be pretty upset if I were a resident.

Now, walk four or five blocks into the french quarter. One is essentially surrounded by a bubble. You'd have absolutely no idea what happened to this place if you were to just stay downtown or in the french quarter (both of these places were on higher ground, so they didn't experience the massive flooding.) In some ways it's kind of sad. If tourists were subjected to the slightest sight of what's beyond the French Quarter, there would be no doubt that the city would be reacting a little quicker with rebuild, but since it's primarily in an impoverished part of town... well...