Sunday — November 29
We had another glorious weather day as the month draws to an end. Unseasonably warm temps around 63F (17C); blue skies filled with sunshine; hardly a breeze to stir the air — what more could we have asked for? It was a picture perfect sightseeing day in Baltimore.
This Google Earth image shows our area of focus — from the Inner Harbor to Fort McHenry.
We woke up to a spectacular sunrise at 6:30a. Despite being slightly bleary-eyed, we couldn’t resist getting our gear out in an attempt to capture the beautiful colors across the harbor from us. Can’t say that we did justice to the real thing, but at least we have something to jog our recollection when we take a trip down memory lane in our golden years.
What a sight to wake up to!
We took our time getting ready and went down to Bistro 300 on the third floor for breakfast. Hotel dining venues are often pricey and this one was no exception — we used the free breakfast coupons that were included in the business plan rate for our room. The service was prompt and friendly; the food was tasty — ham and white cheddar breakfast panini for me; a selection of items from the buffet for Mui. A filling meal to fuel our bodies for another day of sightseeing.
Bird’s eye view of Bistro 300 from the 6th floor landing.
Mui enjoys his morning “pick me up” at Bistro 300.
By 9:00a, we were in the car — destination, Fort McHenry. We didn’t make much headway, however, as the reflection of the Baltimore skyline on the still waters of the Inner Harbor caught our attention soon after we turned onto the Key Highway. Switching gears, we parked the car, grabbed our cameras, and walked down to the brick promenade rimming the harbor.
Double the Pleasure!
Except for the occasional jogger, we had the promenade to ourselves. We took a long walk, stopping frequently to photograph the scenery, watch the ducks swimming and the gulls flying about, and check out the boats in the marina.
Scenes from around the Inner Harbor.
“Two to Travel” stops for a photo op on the Inner Harbor promenade.
It was well after 11:00a when we finally left the Inner Harbor to continue with our initial plan to visit Fort McHenry, the “birthplace of our national anthem.” The National Park Service website succinctly describes the inspiration for the US anthem as follows:
“O say can you see, by the dawns early light, a large red, white and blue banner? Whose broad stripes and bright stars... were so gallantly streaming! over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort by 1,000 dedicated Americans inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner.”
We arrived just in time to see the next showing of the 15-minute documentary, The Defense of Fort McHenry — an excellent summary of the events that unfolded here. The screening ended to the soft strains of the Star Spangled Banner as the curtains to our right were drawn open to reveal the fort and our flag fluttering proud and strong above it. A scene reminiscent (though from a different perspective) of what inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the words that became our national anthem.
Broad stripes and bright stars gallantly streaming.
We spent the next hour exploring the fort — we strolled on the ramparts to view the waters where battles were fought all those years ago; we wandered into magazines that once stored ammunition; we studied exhibits in the barracks that were once home to American troops. With not even the hint of a breeze to stir the air, the temps were comfortable and we were encouraged to spend much of our time outside.
Left: 3-D mock-up of the fort.
Right: This statue honors Col George Armistead, Commander of Fort McHenry at the time of the British attack.
“Two to Travel” visits Fort McHenry.
We left Fort McHenry around 1:00p to seek a bite to eat. It would have been a shame to dine inside when Mother Nature was being so cooperative. So, we picked up a couple of paninis from the Panera shop near the Inner Harbor and headed over to the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse to enjoy another al fresco meal. Except for a few people visiting the lighthouse-turned-museum, there weren’t many people out and about in this part of the Inner Harbor — no complaints from us. We enjoyed eating in the company of gulls that kept a polite distance, all the while hoping for a stray crumb to come their way. Sorry! We don’t feed wildlife; not even those that are habituated to people.
Built in 1855, the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse is the oldest screw-pile lighthouse in Maryland.
After lunch, we took a meandering stroll back towards the Visitor Center. Our aim was to get some ice cream from the Ben & Jerry’s shack, but it was closed for the season. Boy, did they miss an opportunity to make a killing today!
Sorry; no ice cream today.
From there, we continued to Federal Hill. According to Wikipedia, “…The hill itself was given the name in 1789 after serving as the location for the end of a parade and a following civic celebration of the ratification of the new "Federal" constitution of the United States of America. …”
The park was crowded with families and couples enjoying the beautiful day — some sitting on benches, others sitting on the grass; some contemplating nature, others playing ball, still others walking dogs; kids rolling down the steep hillside, laughing all the way.
Scenery from Federal Hill.
We sat down to relax for a while, enjoying the scenery laid out before our eyes. Despite the fluffy white clouds that were streaming in overhead, the skies remained mostly blue and the sun continued to keep us warm.
After a while, we headed back to the hub of activity in the harbor proper. For a minute or two, we debated returning to the hotel to rest up before dinner. We changed our minds when we came across a couple of “concrete” chaise lounges overlooking the harbor. Warmed by the sun, they were surprisingly comfortable and made for a great spot from which to do some people watching.
Relaxing on sun-warmed “concrete” benches.
Eventually, we returned to the hotel, rested our tired feet for a bit, freshened up, and headed to The Helmand, an Afghan restaurant recommended by Kathy Lally in the Charles Street article that was published in the Washington Post. The website describes it as “one of several restaurants nationally that are owned and operated by members of one of Afghanistan's most famous and prominent families.” The family in question is that of President Hamid Karzai. The place is named after Afghanistan's longest and most important river (and also the owner's first-born son).
The eight-block walk up Charles Street was not taxing and soon we were being seated in a crowded dining room — a testimony to the great food that was awaiting us.
It was still comfortably warm when we left the restaurant around 7:30p, so we went for another stroll around the Inner Harbor before returning to our room to bring our second day in Baltimore to a close. Tomorrow, we board the ship.
Next Up: Embarkation Day — Celebrity Mercury
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