 | Marc (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.2){kind=small} mlaplante) wrote, |
Weekend in Baltimore
I chose Baltimore as a trip for Mitchell's birthday, because he's a war buff, and he likes ships and subs, etc. A week ago, before he headed out to Haiti, I slipped up about Baltimore. I accidentally spoiled the surprise. Luckily, I still had a trick up my sleeve.
FRIDAY
We left work early, and hopped on a train to Baltimore from Union Station. It was my first time riding a train. Once we got to Baltimore, we went to our hotel which was within walking distance of the Harbour. I got a good deal on the room (still not cheap) through a colleague at work. We checked in, and ventured out towards the Harbour.
We took a tour of the Torsk submarine, which was neat. It apparently fired the last missiles in WWII. Now it's a permanent fixture in the Harbour, right next to the National Aquarium.
We ended up going to the Rusty Skupper, a restaurant right on the Harbour. The food was and drinks were pricey for the small portions, but it was enjoyable and had a nice view. We just kept ordering appetizers and drinks, stretching out the evening. We then walked back to the hotel, and went to bed. We were both still trying to catch up pn sleep from Mitchell's trip to Haiti.
SATURDAY
After Mitchell had his morning coffee, we headed to explore the sights further. We started off visiting Edgar Allan Poe's grave, and then the Lexington Market. From there, we walked to the Wharf Rat, a pub, for lunch. Once again, the food was disappointing, but the scenery and company made up for it.
We took the water taxi to Fort McHenry. This was the site where the Americans successfully fought off a British ship attack, but more memorably, it is where the Star-Spangled Banner was written.
Then we headed home to freshen up before the piece de resistance. I had managed to keep this part a surprise. We were going to see Cirque du Soleil's Varekai. We were supposed to go out to a fancy dinner beforehand, but we were stuck in traffic for over an hour. We were very upset that the taxi driver didn't take an alternate route, because the ride should have been 5-10 minutes. We managed to calm down enough over drinks and nibbles (all we had time for), and then walked over and enjoyed the show. The show was very impressive. Afterwards, we walked to a tapas place, and enjoyed nibbles and drinks before calling it a night.
SUNDAY
We went to brunch at Mother's, based on a friend's suggestion. The food was good, and included mamosas.
We walked over to Mount Vernon Circle. While we were there, we decided to tour the Walter Art Gallery. They had an amazing collection, much better than the National Gallery in DC.
We then bought our tickets for the National Aquarium. First, there was a dolphin show, after which we were allowed into the rest of the Aquarium. It was well designed, and allowed a steady flow of people. It had an assortment of species relating to water, from tropical fish to sharks, from frogs and turtles to birds... A very impressive collection.
After that, we walked to the Constellation ship, and did the tour. At that point, I was a bit tired of touring, so I was mostly taking pictures. Mitchell was reading all the signs though, taking it all in.
Were both tired after that, and made our way to the train station, so we could get back home.
A tiring, but very memorable weekend indeed. Mitchell was pleased with the outcome.
