Annapolis, Baltimore

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We got lucky with finding a mooring ball in Annapolis, (In spite of the Harbormaster's prediction for the Memorial Day weekend). We love the city. So much colonial architecture, history, festive touristy crowd, the "pain killer" cocktails in the waterfront bars and the old friends we got a chance to reconnect with! We visited the state house (the oldest one in continuous use in the country), visited William Paca (on of the four signers of the Declaration of Independence from Mariland. Well they didn't really mean to push for signing it. They were perfectly happy with the class-oriented MD but did not want to piss off the rest of the colonies and kinda reluctantly went along) house and gardens, walked the beautiful streets, the waterfronts, spent some time in our favorite bar with live music (49 West) with the rhythm of the city dictating the activities. We stayed there for three days and with the fresh breeze behind us sailed to Baltimore. Here we dropped the hook in the inner harbor, right in front of the Aquarium and USS Canstellation. What a view!!! We are sitting, sipping our tea this morning with the the skyscrapers surrounding us, water taxis zooming by, buisy office workers, joggers, tourists, loafers using red-brick waterfront. Lots of the museums and city buses are free here and we are trying to figure out where to go first. Next to the Aquarium is the neatest Barns & Nobel - in a 1900 building with the elements of Victorian/industrial/Art Deco style. We have explored the city and were duly impressed by the Walters gallery, Peabody library and conservatory, Fort McHenry and the general attitude towards the residents and the guests of the city with many free museums, free buses, parks and pedestrian-friendly waterfronts. As a side note: we have seen here a great number of unwell people in the streets or on the busses, comparable only to Portland, OR. Some of them looked happy though.

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Photos

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Annapolis

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With the friends. Were really lucky to catch up with!

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The children get flooded once in a while, the tourists trip over them but they dont mind.

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Sailing wing and wing. 5.5 knts in 8.5 breeze.

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Baltimore, the inner harbor.

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Paca's garden.

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The Francis Scott Key bridge, catn't you see?!!!

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The entrance to the Peabody Concervatory

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Peabody library. We have red the books and now have to move on.

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Debrett's Distinguished People book didn't find itself worthy to mention us?! We were shocked but did not linger much longer in the Peabody library and went on to a place where everybody knows at least Natalya - GAP department store!

Comments

[Bruce]

Ahoy
Dear Yampolskis, Thank you for sharing in word and photograph your amazing exploration of the eastern seaboard of the USA. Your unique perspective gives fresh meaning to the history, culture, food, and architecture of this lovely area. With all that sun, your Vitamin D levels (recognized as being important in behavioral well-being) must be sky-high! ---And Vlad, I heard you in a violin-piano recording recently, on the radio, I believe. Travel safely, and keep up the wonderful reporting. Bruce