A very hot day around Baltimore
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Position 39:16.99N 076:36.53W Date 2200 – Wednesday 8 June 2011 (UTC -4) After a quiet night it was strange to wake up in the middle of the
city. It looked as though it was going to be a hot day and it certainly proved
to be with temperatures of 100+ F. However intrepid sightseers to the fore. Our first stop was to visit the frigate Constellation, preserved and
afloat just next to us.
Constellation represents the last generation of fully sail powered
warships.
It is interesting to compare how similar and how different it is to HMS
Victory which was built some 80 years earlier. The interior of the ship has
been beautifully renovated and visitors are able to access all four decks,
right down to the keel. This is the gun deck:
And this the Captain’s stateroom:
Next it was onto a water
ferry for the trip to
When the British lay siege to
The fort resisted the bombardment and kept the British out of
Seeing the Star Spangled Banner still flying Francis Scott Keyes was
moved to write the eponymous words, set to the music of an English drinking
song, and the rest, as they say, is history. The American’s do their
patriotic bit really rather well. A return journey on the ferry took us to our other preserved naval ship
neighbour the submarine Torsk for a quick tour; Caduceus is in the background.
A further water taxi ride took us to Fells Point and a walk to the
Italian District where we had the luxury of an air conditioned restaurant and
an excellent meal. This definitely was not a day for eating out on the
terrace. Our walk back to the
dinghy took us part an area of fountains that perform to music. With a
surprisingly liberated attitude, for us H&S plagued Brits, children are
encouraged to run through the jets and enjoy themselves and that is what our
kiddie did – really you cannot take them anywhere.
Elizabeth
and Celia and assorted youngsters |
