Blogs from Maryland, United States, North America

We all need an escape from our regular routine. Visiting the east coast is a dramatic reset from my everyday routine. Of course, I get spoiled by the generosity and hilarity of my dear friends, Dirty Pat and Mrs. Pat (Renae). The coastal air is clean and cool. The leaves are every shade of brown to orange to red. The ground is moist and soft. The roads in the "village" of Annapolis have no sidewalks, the trees are tall and green. The town is as historic and quaint as possible. Why is the east coast so different than California? Yes, the weather, the landscape, the people? I would say it is the richer, and much longer traditions.Care to argue or discuss? Food is always a big deal here, particularly seafood. Food is always a big deal ... read more

Along with the rich history and landmarks of Annapolis, there is no shortage of historic pubs. It is, after all, a University town with the Naval Academy, and St. John's College nearby. I have enjoyed my previous visits here, mostly thanks to Dirty Pat and Mrs. Pat. This trip should be no different. First stop is Galway Bay Irish Restaurant, though I only know the bar. It helps that the spunky, blonde bartender helps (tries to) keep Dirty Pat in line (as best anyone can). But it is a friendly bunch of locals who frequent the place, making us feel quite welcome. It is my favorite, after the oyster bars in town. The building was built in 1897. img=https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/c_fill,h_443,q_75,w_665/v1/clients/annapolis/Galway_768x512_5534013b-02a9-476a-b50f-4df4a26c240b.jpg The next several stops are optional: The Drummer's Lot, tucked away... read more

Instead of going to Europe this fall, I decided to stay closer to home. I am headed to Annapolis, and another visit with Dirty Pat (and Mrs. Pat). We are going to a Baltimore Ravens game since they play the hated Seahawks. We are going to sit in his 50-yard line seats and harass the Seahens coach, Petey Boy Carroll. And let me tell you, based on past experience, Dirty Pat can sling the bull! But I will also look forward to other parts of the trip, like the oysters, the great Chinese food down the street, and some good times in the historic Annapolis downtown scene. From 2022: Every time I visit Dirty Pat (and Mrs. Pat), I try to get my fair share of seafood, particularly east coast oysters. On my last trip, I ... read more

A trip to the USA, departing Friday 24 March, to visit Adrian, Vanessa, Sophie and Isaac after 15 months of separation. Adrian and family moved to the USA for Adrian's employment as a Liaison Officer with a United States Defence department in January 2022. This trip will be the first time we will have been able to visit them. After staying with them for about 3 weeks, we will take the train to New York City and stay three nights before boarding Norwegian Gem for a 15 day cruise from NYC to Rome. Then a 5 night stay in Venice, 4 days in Dubai and then home on 13 May 2023. All up - 7 weeks on the road. Friday 24 Mar 23 The journey has started !! At last. Megs very kindly took us to ... read more

The first of September was a beautiful day. Not as humid as earlier in the week and a nice warm temperature. A day like this calls for a road trip, and so we were off. The remains of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal from Georgetown, DC, to Cumberland, Maryland are a trove of historic sites and displays of 19th century canal engineering. I'd wanted to look at the canal works at Hancock, Maryland, for a while. So we decided this was the day to visit. The drive from Northern Virginia to Hancock is about 2 1/2 hours along the Capital Beltway, I-270 to Frederick and then I-70 to Hancock. We originally planned lunch in Hancock, but decided instead to stop at the Schmankerl Stube German restaurant in Hagerstown, Maryland. We had not been there since before ... read more