Every time I awaken, I am amazed by the beauty that surrounds me. As I work my way through my morning routine, she seems to know what I want to do next. She seems to sense my mood and arranges the way things appear to me through my window. When I look out my window, I am greeted by the rippling ocean I can see lapping at the piers, the waters sparkling like diamonds as the sun glances across them. I can sometimes see people on the piers hanging out, playing golf or fishing on occasion.
She may be a man-made city, but that does not make her any less beautiful. Most man-made places or objects are obvious and ugly when not made by natural resources, but Atlantis defies those apparent traditions. The intricate architecture is similar to that of a building that was constructed by the ancient Greeks or Romans. No small detail was missed, by her designers, they made sure that everything that anyone at that time or in the future would want or need. I am constantly admiring the blend between technology and beauty as all around me there is technology which is aesthetically pleasing. And it is amazing when one is considering the bluntness of the technology on our home planet, Earth.
The inside of her, is warm, comforting and it feels like home. There are so many windows, and all of the light that we get throughout the day, is natural. The only time, in which there is artificial light, it is because it is night and the city cannot run without lights. The gentle hum of electricity that is heard all over the great city, makes you believe that she is alive and making decisions based on what us, the inhabitants, do.
As I move through the city towards the control room at the top of the central tower, I feel like I'm walking through a paradise. The walls and floors are always at a comfortable temperature and are never uncomfortable to walk or run on. The city always adapts the temperature of itself based on the temperature outside. Often a light sea breeze can be felt when on a balcony or if the door to one of the piers is open. The smell of salty seawater and clean unpolluted air is always refreshing to inhale if I ever feel alone or unhappy.
There are many colours that the Ancients, who built the city, used to decorate the walls and make the whole place feel more homely. In their own way, the variety of shades each seem to personify the sea outside. The colours all manage to blend together to create the perfect mix of colours, the colours that are joined with the silver-gray colour of the metal the walls are made of. None of the electronically produced colour is dark or gloomy, more light, airy and cheerful and nothing can improve the mood more than these colours catching the sun and causing the light to fall upon a person's face in a way that can make anyone look extremely beautiful.
The most important room in the city, is the Control Room. As I enter this magnificent room, I take in the many devices and the large open space underneath the control room. The vast area only has one constant thing that cannot be moved. This device is the Stargate, it allows travel to other worlds and it is how we get many of our supplies through trading with many other worlds, and some of the different cities within those worlds. Because of some evil creatures called the wraith, we on Atlantis, are the most technologically advanced people in this galaxy. Today, there are no emergencies in the city so the gate technicians and the workers in the control room are relaxed and simply monitoring the many devices that keep the gate running. These are the people who day after day press the buttons to help keep the city functioning smoothly. Most of the people, who work in that room, are scientists with intimate knowledge of most of the systems.
As I move from one side of the control room to the other, I acknowledge the people on duty as they run through many simulations. I have a brief conversation with one of the marines who is on duty in the control room in case there is a disruption in the day to day running of Atlantis. There is a relaxed air around the room and anyone who enters seems to automatically relax seeming as though they are affected by the atmosphere.
Quite a walk away from the control room, is my favourite place in the city. The South Pier. Few people visit it, because you have to walk most of the way due to the fact that the nearest transporter is about half an hour's walk away that makes it very quiet. The sound of the waves is extremely relaxing after a long day of hunching over a desk and working in a smallish room. Sometimes the whale-like creatures come rather close to the pier and it is amusing to watch them fool around, but it is also extremely fascinating to watch their behaviour. I feel privileged that they allow me to watch how they interact with each other and I feel especially privileged in the evening when they seem to be friendlier in the setting sun.
As evening draws in, I make my way to the mess hall for dinner, in the hallways, the windows are showing the sun setting, and it is a beautiful sight to behold. The softening light creates magnificent pictures in the shadows decorating the floor. As people walk through the hall, their shadows add to the other shadows that are already there and create fascinating shapes that change as the people move.
That is how I might spend one of my days of in the beautiful city of the Ancients. I do not feel that the words on this paper can capture the mind-blowing city which can create many feelings for a person, and even seem to create new feelings. I hope that this can describe Atlantis to a person who has never been to the city before and encourage them to visit it one day.