Baltimore Briefly

Old May 6th, 2014, 10:11 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Baltimore Briefly

With DW spent last week in Baltimore...first time being there. We were at a Road Scholar program at Peabody Institute. Did you hear about the street collapsing? It was just north of Monument Square where we were. It rained for two and a half days but that was OK since we had classes indoors. But not OK for the washed out street area.

Focus of this our 41st program was on the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, led by three very competent Peabody music professors. So each day we learned about symphonies and concertos and song cycles of the masters. Then in the evenings we attended recitals by students (piano, violin, voice, organ) for their degree requirements. Also a symphony performance with veteran conductor Leon Fleisher. Meals and rooms in the Peabody Inn.

This was not a sightseeing trip since most of the time we were in classes. But we did have a tour of nearby Walters Art Gallery, very nice collection there. On a free afternoon we strolled the harbor but skipped the aquarium (too pricey). We did enjoy viewing parts of Baltimore riding what is called the Charm City Circulator, a free bus service. Also on the last Saturday was a flower and craft festival at the Monument. Attended nearby Unitarian Church service but not the best time for visiting being pledge Sunday.

As mentioned most meals in Peabody. Several dining places we can recommend: dinner at Sashas on St Paul Street, Mike O'Sheas for lunch and later a glass of Resurrection local beer, and dining at Phillips Harbor Place in the old power station...for Maryland crab cakes of course.

Added note: we took Amtrak from Boston to Baltimore Penn Station, first time traveling via train since college, and we really liked it. About seven hours and on time.

More about Road Scholar in another posting...it's a great learning vacation.
Ozarksbill is offline  
Old May 6th, 2014, 12:57 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi ozarksbill

I enjoyed this trip report having lived in Baltimore for 3 years and caught a bus every day standing in front of the Peabody, as I used to work out right nearby at the Downtown Athletic Club. It's really gorgeous inside the Peabody I thought (I worked at Hopkins and had I remember a department supper there). Unless I'm confusing the Peabody with somewhere else, I think the library was particularly stunning. It's been awhile but I remember thinking quite remarkable the Faberge eggs at the Walters Art Gallery collection.

Glad you enjoyed your train ride; I've been many times on the DC-Balto-Phila-NYP stretch of rail and once on to Boston. I found a certain part of the tracks along the Connecticut shoreline to be really quite beautiful. I'm also pleased to see that Charm City Circulator is getting use by visitors; I believe it started around the time I left B'more (which is 2002).

Was the Unitarian church the beautiful green stone church?
Daniel_Williams is offline  
Old May 7th, 2014, 10:58 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,464
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh and thanks for alerting me to the street collapsing. I just saw video footage; quite dramatic and less than 10 blocks from where I used to live!
Daniel_Williams is offline  
Old May 7th, 2014, 12:53 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the trip report ozarksbill, glad you enjoyed your short time in Baltimore. Unfortunately, in a year of horrible weather, your two days were pretty bad ones given the volume of rain. Here is the video Daniel might have been referring to:

http://youtu.be/MrNluXrrHKY
smetz1 is offline  
Old May 7th, 2014, 02:35 PM
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yep, that was some street collapse. One personal note: we couldn't get up to the Baltimore Museum of Art and other places north of us. Would have been nice to see more sights. As it is we were mostly sitting in classes or performances at Peabody (which was OK with the rainy days).

Yes, we did get a personal tour of the Peabody Library with its rare books and amazingly high bookshelves. And yes we thought the shoreline alongside Amtrak route in Connecticut was very pretty, including harbor at Mystic. Much else is through industrial ugliness.

The Unitarian Church is white and very historic. Seems a landmark sermon by Wm. Ellery Channing in 1819 set forth principles for the Unitarian movement.
Ozarksbill is offline  
Old May 7th, 2014, 05:18 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
And to be clear I mean church is white in building facade not race...impressed us as multi-racial and multi-economic congregation.
Ozarksbill is offline  
Old May 9th, 2014, 06:55 AM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Say, is there any other city besides Baltimore that has this free transportation around town called the Charm City Circulator? The buses certainly aren't just for tourists with lots of folks on and off. And there is other buses and light rail as well.
Ozarksbill is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
yk
United States
8
Mar 7th, 2019 10:54 AM
40sTraveler
United States
6
Aug 30th, 2011 02:43 PM
Cranachin
United States
4
Jul 18th, 2011 12:49 PM
Rebecka
Europe
43
Apr 19th, 2010 08:42 AM
elaine
United States
4
Aug 3rd, 2004 01:57 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -