I have to say that I would make the world's worst paparazzi. When in Atlanta for a layover on my way to Wilmington there was a man that everyone was asking for an autograph and taking his picture. He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him. I asked the lady next to my if she knew show he was. She said she thought he was a baseball player. The lady next to her said, no, he was a football player. I said I thought he was a boxer. At least I got that much right. I had to go ask one of the kids who asked for his autograph who he was. It was Evander Holyfield. He was very gracious to every person who asked for a photo or autograph. He might have been traveling with a group (there were some men in suits who got on the plane about the same time as he did), but there was no obvious entourage. If people hadn't flocked to him I wouldn't have even noticed him. He is definitely a big guy, but I thought he'd be meaner looking in person. He actually just looked like any other person you'd see waiting for a plane in the airport. There was a chance he was on my plane, but he was on the other plan boarding from my gate at the same time. It was heading to Alabama. I am just glad to say that in this day of bad celebrity behavior, he was kind to those around him and appeared unassuming. On top of not knowing who is is, even though I took my camera out, I just couldn't take his picture. It felt weird to take his picture. No paparazzi jobs for me.
After spending a day here in hot and steamy WIlmington, I remember why I left the South. Holy smokes it it hot here. I immediately broke out with humidity pimples and I have been damp or just down right sweaty all day long. It is, however, very beautiful here. I took a trolley tour of the historic neighborhood in Downtown Wilmington and I also toured the Bellamy Mansion. I spent the rest of the time just wandering around the great historic district admiring the beautiful homes. Picture of the home are not so easy to get since there are so many huge trees and lush bushes. I did get some of my favorite kinds of pictures though - addresses and fences. Here are just a few from the day.
All of the streets in the historic part of town are brick.
View from my window
The USS North Carolina, the most decorated WWII Battleship, through a flag on a US Coast Guard Ship
Azalea trees are everywhere, some with this moss stuff, some without
I want this planter
Holding up the boardwalk
Many houses had flags flying
The streets are just amazing
This was all I could see of a fountain at the Federal Building. There is some kind of construction going on and I could see this in between a crane and some other construction stuff
The view out of one of the windows at the Bellamy Mansion. The glass in the window is old and wavy so it gives the photo an interesting distortion
Finally, a few fences and addresses