US Open and Ft McHenry

June 17-18 ,2017

     It was only short trip from Annapolis to Baltimore, not far on the Chesapeake but Baltimore is 8 miles up the Patapsco River.  There was lots to see as we came up the river.  A lot of military, old and new, including Ft McHenry of Star Spangled Banner fame.   The old industrial parts of Baltimore are also in evidence, a Domino’s Sugar mill from the early 19^th century and the famous shipping triangle, slaves to the Carribean, sugar and rum to colonies and England.

Ft McHenry from Baltimore Harbor

                                                                                                        

The inner harbor

USS Constellation in inner harbor

We also followed a big container ship into port.  As we came further up the river it is obvious that Baltimore is trying to make itself over into a tourist destination and a yuppie waterfront city. We  toured the Inner Harbor by boat,  but stayed in a newly renovated area, Fells Point which had been the home for all the workers building the old wooden sailing ships.   In Fells Point they are refurbishing a lot of old colonial row houses.  Further away from the city they are building massive new condos along the waterfront.  We bother rode bikes for miles along the promenade that links it all.

       Since it was the USOpen golf tournament weekend we planned morning outings and spent the afternoon watching golf.  We got a camper antenna that we put up and a monthly subscription to DISH TV.  It works pretty well as long as we’re really tied tight to a dock so we don’t move around too much.  Saturday night John was out cinching up the ropes a couple of times cause there was some wind and wake from the water taxis. 

        Saturday John took a long bike ride that got longer when he broke a pedal, but fortunately was close to a really nice bike shop that took care of him.  I checked out the local neighborhood and some of its historical exhibits.

   For dinner Saturday,  I finally decided we should probably do the blue crab dinner thing and we referred to a crab restaurant near our boat.  For one well experienced in Dungeness crab feasts this was pretty much the same, good tasting crab, but the decision of whether to crack for 20 minutes to make a good bite, or crack and eat as you go was a dilemma. I wasn’t too crazy about all of the Old Bay seasoning everywhere.  But one of those Chesapeake Bay experiences you have to try.

        Sunday I headed to Church and John took a long bike ride.  He’s really starting to enjoy biking and getting much more confident.  The Church that was the closest was an old Polish church and it's still Polish.  The 10:30 Mass was in Polish, so I chose the 8:30. Riding my bike around the neighborhood on my way to a Farmers’ Market later, it was obvious that old Polish businesses are being taken over by Hispanic, and the refurbished neighborhoods are only about 6 blocks deep from the water front.  I found a wonderful Farmers Market downtown,  and got stuff to make a great dinner.  The best part was a box of mixed mushrooms that we delicious just sauted in butter and served over rice.  Sorry I didn’t take a picture of them.   

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Holy Rosary Church.  Next door was a Christo Rey Jesuit school.