I’m as much of a bandwagon jumper as the next person, and with the Vikings being 5–0, I thought I would cover the home towns of the purple’s next few opponents.
Baltimore comes to the Twin Cities this week—and it’s a great city to visit.
Most visits to the city start at the Inner Harbor. A seaport for 300 years, the place fell on very hard times, only to be re-created in the last 25 years into an example of “good development.” If you only have a short time in Baltimore, this is the place to go—it has shops, restaurants, museums, and an aquarium. If the water taxis are running, they offer a great way to build a plan of attack for what you want to see in the Inner Harbor.
Baltimore is famous for its seafood and, fortunately, I can recommend one place where you can stay AND enjoy some amazing food that’s uniquely Baltimorean. Abarcrombie Fine Food and Accommodations features just 12 rooms and a small restaurant, but if you can get in, do it. For dinner, the sweet corn bisque and “breakfast for dinner” (ahi tuna, potato pancake, hollandaise, and poached egg) are superb.
Throughout October, the city is hosting a series of arts-related events under the banner of Free Fall Baltimore. More than 300 events are planned during the 31 days, and all of them are free. Attractions range from museums to music, from modern to ancient, and from crafts to churches.
One attraction that’s great to visit anytime is the Baltimore Museum of Art, which is participating in Free Fall this year. Its featured exhibit is titled, “Baltimore Inspired by Poe.” The museum is displaying rare items by artists such as Gauguin and Manet that were inspired by Poe’s literary works.
For those in a more macabre frame of mind, the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe hovers over the city, and he’s finally getting a proper sendoff. Born 200 years ago, Poe was found shortly before his death at age 40, disoriented and wandering the streets of Baltimore. He was buried with no fanfare and only a handful of people attended.
This year, the city is rolling out the dead carpet, with many special events planned. Unfortunately, you just missed a series of funeral-related events that included a viewing of his body, followed by a formal procession and funeral.
To come full circle, the name of Baltimore’s NFL team is taken from one of Poe’s most famous poems, “The Raven.”
Inner Harbor photo courtesy of Iracaz.
I love that about rolling out the dead carpet!
Brother Jan
Posted by: Jan Hanvik | October 23, 2009 at 09:31 AM