Traipsing Baltimore

I don’t always get a day off when I’m doing my Army Reserve time in Fort Meade, Maryland. But when I do, I like to max my time in the nearby cities of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

Saturday was a glorious day in Baltimore – sunshine coated a city well-known for Fort McHenry, the Aquarium and the Orioles. My pleasant surprises resulted from all my unexpected encounters with all the cool stuff The Charm City has to offer.

My goals for the day included the Industrial Museum, a Guy Fieri rated restaurant and the Orioles. I got all those as well as a few other surprises – all because I explored Baltimore the way big cities ought to be discovered: on foot.

I've been to Baltimore numerous times over the years, but seldom for an entire day. I go mostly to eat in Little Italy and smoke cigars on the scenic Federal Hill (with its awesome views of the Inner Harbor). I willingly fight its traffic to reach the stadiums of the baseball Orioles and football Ravens (the replacement for the legendary Colts who infamously left town in 1983 in the middle of the night).

But it was fun to spend my one free day during my Army Reserve time this year to explore a city that deserves a second look.