It’s Baltimore, Hon!

          Frommer’s has designated Baltimore, Maryland as one of the best tourist destinations! Located on the eastern seaboard, just 40 miles from the Nation’s Capitol, Baltimore is truly a jewel of a city!

          Founded in 1706 as a shipping port Baltimore was formally established by the colonial government in 1729 and named for the Lord Baltimore. During the War of 1812 the British declared Baltimore to be a nest of pirates. The British attacked Fort McHenry and during the ensuing battle a young lawyer, being held captive aboard a ship in the Baltimore Harbor, wrote a poem depicting the scene that was unfolding in front of him. It was later put to the tune of a British drinking song and became America’s National Anthem.
          During the Civil War Federal Troops occupied Baltimore and Maryland (Maryland was Pro-South) holding the state in the Union. If they had not, Washington would almost certainly have fallen to the Confederacy.
          Edgar Allen Poe House was home to Poe from 1829 to 1835. Poe is buried in Westminster Graveyard just a few blocks from Poe House. For decades, every January 19th (Poe’s birthday) a mystery man leaves three red roses and a half empty bottle of cognac at Poe’s grave. Can you find out who the mystery man is?
           Baltimore is home to dozens of museums, restaurants and shops. Baltimore’s Rowhouses (yes, it is one word!) date back to the mid 1700’s and feature the famed marble steps, scrubbed with Bon Ami powder, which are seen in many a poster. If you haven’t eaten Blue Crabs and drank Natty Boh, you haven’t been to Baltimore!

Learn to speak the Ballmer Merlin dialect –

          Baltimoreese:  “Pitcher bane suit own. Weer goon downy oshun!”
          Transulation:    “Put your bathing suite on. We’re going down to the ocean!”