Feb 24-The Carter Center, Atlanta,GA

Made it back to the Carter Center today. Good thing we didn’t pay to go in yesterday because it did take us a long time to read everything and they would have had to kick us out yesterday. The exhibits are well done, but it’s quite different to read about a President that you actually voted for (at least I did). They have a film called The American Presidency that shows the growth of the powers of the president. Today, the office of President is much more powerful than it was when the real George W. was elected. One room is a reproduction of the Oval office just as it was when he was in office…he used the same desk that Kennedy used. I can’t think of much to tell you about Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter that you wouldn’t already know. He was born in 1924 (same year as Gramma). The best known events during his presidency were signing the Panama Canal treaties (giving operational control of the canal to Panama), getting Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to sign a peace treaty in 1979, signing SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union to limit nuclear proliferation, and establishing formal diplomatic relations with China. Oh, and freeing the American hostages in Iran in 1979…right after he left office (he lost to Reagan). It seems like Carter is more popular now than when he was in office. All his humanitarian work and Habitat for Humanity has been amazing. The State of Georgia is VERY proud.

Lunch was an event today, too. Atlanta has a drive-in called The Varsity. They claim it’s the biggest drive in restaurant in the world so we had to try it. It takes up 2 acres, so we had in mind that there would be rows and rows of places to get served in your car…like the Burgermaster in Bellevue. Nope. They did have spaces for about 20 cars, but most people went inside. It is enormous inside however, quite the busy place! I took the picture at about 2:30 so it doesn’t look all that busy, but it was earlier. They sell “more than two miles of hotdogs, 2,000 pounds (one ton) of onion rings, 2,500 pounds of fresh cut potatoes, and 5,000 homemade fried pies, daily”. They are the largest single restaurant outlet for Coca-Cola…only Gene would ask for a Pepsi. Hank—you would have loved it! I had a fried peach pie, which I have to say was delicious. Not quite like Thelma’s, but it was an experience.

The photos...flowers from the garden outside the Carter Center, it was 65 today by the way and Carter's Nobel Peace Prize medal.