It's our third year to celebrate Labor Day here in the US and this year our restless feet brought us all the way to Maryland and Pennsylvania.
We had two reasons why we wanted to go up North. First, we wanted to visit Papa's friend, Tito Ron. And second, we have never been to Baltimore before. Plus, since Hersheypark is just an hour and a half away from Baltimore, it got me all excited!!
We left Charlotte at the tail of hurricane Ernesto. Doesn't this prove how obsessed we really are about travelling??? It took us almost 9 hours to get from Charlotte to Baltimore, which normally would have taken only 7. Anyway, we got safely to our hotel, The Marriot Residence Inn, which we booked via Priceline (we looooveeee Priceline!).
We started our sightseeing the following day. Our first stop, Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Here we are across the street from Hard Rock Cafe, which is located in an historic building between the National Aquarium and Fell's Point. It was raining a little but we didn't mind.
Here's Papa and me in front of the National Aquarium.
Next we went to the Harbor Place to grab some lunch. They have a huge selection of local and national food chains in their food court.
Just another opportunity to squeeze in a little play time.
Behind us is the legendary USS Constellation. Built in 1854, it is the last all-sail warship built by the US Navy and the last Civil War vessel still afloat.
Aboard USS Constellation, Mama and I will be driving this thing all the way to Cainta, hehe.
Ding-ding-ding. All aboard!
Beware of Mama when she's mad. She might unleash her cannons on you, hehehe!
Back on land, here's Mama and me. Do you see that tall, grey, building behind us? That's Baltimore's World Trade Center.
Here we are, on our way to the Top of the World (at the 27th floor, that is).
Here's me with our host, Tito Ron (whom you might recognize from our earlier Atlanta and Philadelphia trips) and my Papa.
The view from the Top of this five-sided building (second tallest five-sided building in the world, if you may ask).
Side One.
Side Two.
Side Three.
Side Four. (Top View of the USS Torsk)
Side Five, hehe. My Mama deserves a solo pic, don't you think?
After being on top, we got back down and walked towards the Baltimore Maritime Museum. For a combo ticket, we got to visit all of the ships on display at the Museum.
Our first stop, the Chesapeake Lightship (the big red ship in this picture).
Here we are testing our sea legs.
It was a short tour, hehe. It's also only a short distance to go from one ship...
...to another.
Now boarding the USSubmarine Torsk.
I like climbing up and down the steps.
But mama doesn't like it in here, she says it makes her feel claustrophobic. The space is really so cramped that you will really wonder how the sailors lived (and worked) inside it for long stretches of time under the sea.
Nap time!
Our fourth ship of the day, the USCGC Taney.
The Taney is the last surviving warship from the Pearl Harbor attacks during WWII.
Our last stop here at the Museum is the very red, Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, the oldest surviving screw-pile lighthouse. Yes, I'm still sleeping!
It really began to rain in earnest then, so we just went back to our car and took a drive around the city. Here are some of the notable places we found.
The Historic Emerson-Bromo Seltzer Tower defines the Baltimore skyline.
Edgar Allan Poe's House and Museum.
It's located in a scary neighborhood actually. The reason why this picture is not so good is because Papa just took one snapshot of it and then he promptly ran back towards the car, hehe.
The famous Lexington Market.
The Babe Ruth Museum and Birthplace.
The Marker. FYI.
And this babe is my mama! Hehe!
If this is the Orioles Museum...
Then this is the Home of the Orioles...
Welcome to Camden Yards.
Finally, here's my papa at Baltimore's Washington Monument.
Dinnertime! What and Where to eat when in Baltimore?
Yummy steamed crabs at Obrycki's, of course!
Mentioned in the Book 1000 Places to See Before You Die, and featured by Martha Stewart in her show, we wondered what the hype was all about.
The verdict: Super worth it! Mama and Papa thought the crabs were yummy!
But, honestly, I found them quite scary!
The sight of all those crabs got me all crabby! Those crabs (all twelve of them) were unceremoniously dumped on our table. Quite a scary bunch, really!
But super yummmyy!!! That's one must-see crossed off our list, 999 more to go.
Thanks, Tito Ron, for showing us around Baltimore today! See you tomorrow!
The next day, we went to mass early at the St. Jude Shrine. Here we met Tito Lito and Tita Ethel, teacher-friends of Tito Ron. They were part of a huge wave of migrant teachers from the Philippines to Baltimore a few years ago. We were pleased to meet them, they're such nice people.
Here's Mama and Papa with Tito Lito and Tita Ethel. They were joining us for our Cruise around Chesapeake Bay.
But not before we had a yummy lunch of burgers from Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries. Actually, we have a Five Guys restaurant in Charlotte but we never got around to eating there. Thanks to Baltimore, we finally had our taste of the juiciest burgers we've ever had.
Boarding time!
After the many river and bay cruises I've done, I should be totally used to all this by now.
Nevertheless, I'm staying as close as I can to this floatee.
Baltimore is such a pretty place, even more spectacular when viewed from the bay. Here are some of our pics, as taken by my Papa.
A Statue of Liberty? Here? Nahhh, that's just a unique pier post topper. :)
From our ship, we saw Fort McHenry. We decided to proceed there afterwards and visit it up close.
During the Battle of Baltmore here at Fort McHenry in September 1814, a young lawyer by the name of Francis Scott Key was inpired to write a poem about how, after all the cannon blasts were fired and spent, a star-spangled banner still stood proudly above the fort. This poem later on became the lyrics for America's National Anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".
The Cannons that guarded the City during the revolution.
The visitors with a Canon camera, sitting on the cannons, hehe.
Mama and I in the inner courtyard of the Fort. The place was restored very very well.
Our final goodbye to Fort Mchenry, to our tour hosts, and the end of our two days in Baltimore.
Tomorrow we're off to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvannia. I can't wait!!!