songbird's crazy world

  Well, you knew there would have to be a Civil War battlefield visit sometime during this trip. So we went to  Antietam National Battlefield . Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles of the war.  After a single day of combat, 23,00 lay dead or wounded. September 17, 1862.  Robert E. Lee’s first attempt to invade the North.  Lee needed a victory in the North for political reasons — the midterm elections were approaching, and he wanted public opinion in the North to support Congressional candidates who favored a negotiated peace.  Also, Britain and France were prepared to recognize the Confederacy if Lee could prove himself.   The North, having sustained several losses in Northern Virginia, needed a victory as well.   Lee, having taken the Union garrison in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, marched 16 miles north into Maryland, where he was met by the Army of the Potomac commanded by George McClellan.  There was no clear victor.  At the en...

  Back to Inner Harbor, this time for the  National Aquarium . In addition to the main part of the aquarium, there are separate areas for the sea creatures of Australia and a pavilion dedicated to dolphins and jellyfish.  They don’t do “dolphin shows” anymore, but if you arrive at feeding time you can catch the dolphins at play.  There are also interesting views of the harbor area. Some of my favorites: Yes, that’s the Constellation, the ship we visited the other day. This dolphin wanted to show off. What a croc! Poisonous frog: Those blue things look like shrimp! And moving right along … Top of the World  is an observation deck 27 stories above the harbor. The Constellation  The Bromo Seltzer Building Back in the day, the company had a clear blue bottle at the top of the building. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— If you recognize those lines, you'll know w...

  Yes, it's all happening a the zoo. The  Maryland Zoo , to be precise.  We underestimated the size of the zoo, it took two slow moving adults almost four hours to see everything.  Parents with young children could easily spend a whole day at this zoo.  Their biggest collection is African animals, but they also have local Maryland wildlife and barnyard animals, as well as grizzly bears and a polar bear. Some of my favorites: You have to respect the bald eagle. Cheetahs...just like house cats only larger. This chimp was looking at the crowd. Prairie dogs! Trumpeter swans. Mom and babies. African penguins. My photos aren't nearly as good as Drew's.  I play with a camera, he's a photographer. Then these two crazy people got back into their car and drove from Baltimore to National Harbor, Maryland.  National Harbor is on the Potomac, inside the Beltway -- just outside of Washington, DC.  Our destination?   The Capital Wheel . Soar 180 feet a...