5 days in Baltimore

Because of the volcano ashes, our flight from Baltimore to Germany was cancelled. And we were sent to the Sleep Inn 20 minutes away from airport and were told to call the termimal every day to see if the flight is on schedule that day. So we decided to tour Baltimore. There is a lightrail stop just outside of the hotel. And it is very convenient for go to downtown Baltimore.

The first day, we went to Inner Harbor. It is beautiful.

USS Constellation

USS Constellation constructed in 1854 is a sloop-of-war and the second United States Navy ship to carry this famous name. According to the US Naval Registry the original frigate was disassembled on 25 June 1853 in Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, and the sloop-of-war was constructed in the same yard, possibly with a few recycled materials from the old frigate. USS Constellation is the last sail-only warship designed and built by the U.S. Navy.

USS Torsk

National Aquarium in Baltimore

We plan to go to National Aquarium the 2nd day. But the ticket is too expensive. So we decided to go to Port Discovery Children's Museum instead. And Ian had lots of fun there.

Port Discovery offers three floors of interactive exhibitions and programs for children ages 2-10. All of Port Discovery's programming initiatives align with the Maryland Model for School Readiness and the Voluntary State Curriculum and focus on the Museum's 5 Platforms of Learning. Designed for kids ages 2 to 10, Port Discovery is a place where children can kindle their creativity while expending large amounts of energy. The average visit is 2 to 3 hours, though families with stamina could stay all day. Dominated by KidsWorks, a three-level climbing structure, the Baltimore children's museum’s other exhibits all surround the giant jungle gym. Kids slide, glide and climb to Port Discovery's top floor and back on this three-story climbing structure. KidWorks, recommended for ages 5 and up, is great fun for kids but can be a little nerve-wracking for parents since little ones can exit two floors up. The musuem installed lighted pathways for four age groups plus netting barriers to keep little ones from mixing with big kids. The one-way flow of traffic means that kids who change their minds must keep plugging on to the next floor. Intrepid adults who tag along through the narrow tubes and across the rope bridges may end up having as much fun as the kids.

Ian and Pat had tons of fun. We were there for 3 hours until it was way pass lunch time. So we asked Ian:

" Can we go get lunch at Mcdonald's next door and then come back to play again?"

" No, no, not yet, mama! Not yet!" he replied. He had so much fun that we had hard time pulling him out of the place. But it worth going.

Then the next 2 days were raining and very cold. So we did not get to go anywhere. Finally, we got on the plane the following Thursday night. What a journey!