One of the brief yet most cherished memories I had a child visiting Atlanta was playing in the water fountains at what I didn’t know was at Centennial Olympic. Transferring to Georgia State University, I was eager to visit places that were said to be near the Atlanta campus. So the day before classes began for the semester, one of my roommates and I walked from our dorm all the way down to the park and right then and there my childlike heart was full as I stepped into the park. We sat on the grass and just relaxed as I was also very impressed how close everything was to the park: Skyview, World of Coke, the Georgia Aquarium, CNN and Philips Arena.

Self-timer selfie I took the day I visited Centennial Olympic Park since my childhood. August 21, 2016.

And ever since that day, I would go visit the park as often as I could or when I felt the need to step away from campus for awhile. This past weekend, I visited the park again and sat down on one of the concrete infrastructure that was near the steps of the far side of the park near the Embassy Suites and wrote in my journal. I took pictures and panoramas of the area.

Pictures and panoramas I took at Centennial Olympic Park. October 1, 2016.

Just recently yesterday, I went back to the park after my last class that was at Aderhold. This is something I’ve been meaning to do for the past couple weeks since classes started. It was a quick five minute walk and when I arrived, the park wasn’t as full as it usually is with families. I walk over to the granite and concrete bench area that sat right before the water fountains and usually while I saw mostly children around this area playing in the water, this time I saw grown ups and adults playing with them and taking pictures in front of them. It was like their childlike playful instincts took over and with the nearly emptiness of the park, it was a perfect opportunity to play in the park.

Visiting Centennial has become one of my favorites things so far while living in Atlanta. I love visiting the park on deserted days like how it was yesterday and even on busy days such as during the weekends. It brings me a childlike wonder just like that most cherish memories I have when I was younger and was playing at the water fountains at the park.

Picture of the water fountains at Centennial Olympic Park I took yesterday when I visited the park after my last class. October 3, 2016.