Day 25 - Birds everywhere

Alabama:

I nixed the swamp exploration idea I had for Savanna, Georgia. Instead I turned south to tiny Monroeville, Alabama to visit the old courthouse museum with Harper Lee and Truman Capote's chronicles displayed on the walls. The stopover was apropos since 2010 is the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird, a book I first enjoyed as a kid.

The art director of the movie version imitated the courthouse brick-for-brick, but I was proud to stand in the actual courtroom where Amasa Coleman Lee, Harper’s father and the basis for the Atticus Finch character, stood up for righteousness despite the opinions of his friends. I gotta say...I'm so privileged for being able to go on this trip. I'm learning so much and appreciating the complete experience.

After Monroeville I set off for Tallahassee, Florida through a downpour. I could only see by following the yellow line on the highway. Tallahassee proved to be a multicultural town. I may sound naïve, but I was shocked to see Asians crossing the streets and international cuisine. I ate at a Japanese restaurant and the friendly waiter said, "You're not from here, are you?" I said nope. I asked him what I usually ask minorities in my travel. "Do you like Tallahassee?" "I love it," he said to my surprise. He said that he came from Korea and lived in San Francisco for a time. It was too expensive and crowded for him, but Florida is laid back. Good for him.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned the bird theme of the trip yet. Today I saw a hawk with an almost four-foot wing span so close to the car that I thought he'd say hello. On the side of the road somewhere in Oklahoma, a falcon stood like a hitchhiker, and vermilion red birds gently hound me from state to state. Also today I turned on the computer, closed my eyes, and clicked blindly on a song. Guess what played…"Blackbird" by the Beatles. Reminds me of the seer who told me that my totem animal is a crow...I don’t know, but the birdsy incidents are turning me into a believer. All I know is that when I see them gliding in the air, my mood brightens.

But enough hocus pocus. Here are a couple other places I went today:

+ The Knott House (home/office of Florida's first African American physician)
+ Tallahassee Old Capitol