September 19, 2006

September 19, 2006

This morning we drove to a Park and Ride on the north side of Baltimore. From there, we take a 45-minute train ride to the downtown Inner Harbor area. We then take a water taxi to nearby Fells Point and eat a lunch of Maryland crab cakes. After lunch we hop on the water taxi and cross the harbor to Fort McHenry. Fort McHenry guards the entrance to Baltimore harbor. In the War of 1812, after the British burned Washington DC to the ground, they wanted to do the same with Baltimore; so British ships bombarded the fort for 25 hours. The fort withstood the attack. Francis Scott Key, who was in charge of prisoner exchange for the US and witnessed the event from a British ship in the harbor, wrote and published his observations in a poem. This popular poem went on to become the Star Spangled Banner, our national anthem.

After touring the fort we reverse our commute and drive the RV south to a campground outside Washington DC. We meet George Bush at the campsite and take a picture with him. He is not as tall as I imagined.