Random (but not really)

Monday, October 22, 2018

Traveling WV: Paw Paw Tunnel

Technically, this is in Maryland.

But it is labelled the Paw Paw tunnel, and Paw Paw is in WV.

I can’t believe we’d never been there before.

When building the C&O canal, they were in a race against the completion of rail lines, so they decided the it would be easier to build a tunnel than to follow the river (understandable really, because the river is really twisty and the riverbanks weren’t necessarily good for canal building).

It’s pretty impressive.

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We totally counted all markers and found the four markers for shafts.

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Oops.

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Written by Michelle at 6:00 am    

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Categories: Maryland,National Park / Forest,Photos  

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Baltimore: National Aquarium

I’ll be honest, I haven’t been to the National Aquarium for years, because many of the tanks used to be bare, and I really disliked that.

They have remedied that, which makes me very happy. Rocks and other items make the tanks look natural, and the octopus even had multiple toys.

Even better, they had a huge jellyfish exhibit, although to my sadness, they didn’t have benches where you could just sit and watch.

Poison dart frogs!

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Puffins!

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But most importantly: JELLYFISH

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It makes me ridiculously happy that so many of the pictures I took of the jellyfish turned out.

Written by Michelle at 7:00 am    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos,Travel  

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Baltimore: Historical Sites

There are lots of historical areas in Baltimore, but the two we specifically visited this time were Federal Hill and Fort McHenry.

Federal Hill overlooks the inner harbor. This is taken from the public park at the top of the hill.

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Fort McHenry is a national park, and the site of the battle which led to the Star Spangled Banner.

The same cannon, three different views.

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The cannon fascinate me as much as they horrify me. I’ve read several descriptions of battles involving cannon, and they all describe smoke, terrible noise, complete chaos and underlying that, the knowledge that cannon blew up on a regular basis.

These are truly giant cannon, permanently placed.

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The mechanisms for aiming the cannon.

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There were multiple cannon from Fort Pitt.

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I politely waited to ask the gentleman if I could take a picture of him in his outfit.

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Sadly, he had only plain buttons, instead of decorated unit buttons.

And the magazines were also preserved.

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Although the outside doors have been removed, you can still the hinges and how they would have fit. (The inside doors remain in place and locked.)

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Then there were the walls….

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And lastly, we were lucky that it was clear and windy, and they were flying the largest flag.

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Oh! And the view!

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Written by Michelle at 7:00 am    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos,Travel  

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Traveling Outside WV: Baltimore

We spent a long weekend in Baltimore. We were there for my parents 50th anniversary party, but we also took the opportunity to visit Grandmom and wander around the city.

The harbour area is full of things I love coming together: water, old buildings, and occasionally, decay.

The USS Constellation in the Inner Harbor, in front of the World Trade Center building.

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There was, I believe, a student group on the Constellation on Friday night. They were getting to shift the masts but did NOT fire the cannon.

Sadly.

Brickwork and hinge for storm shutter on old warehouse turned into condos.

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These buildings are directly on the harbor, but none of them seemed to have functioning shutters anymore.

Looking across a dock at a warehouse that was turned into luxury condos.

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Street in Fells Point.

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Standing on Federal Hill, looking across the harbor towards the World Trade Center, and to the right, the National Aquarium.

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Decaying dock.

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Written by Michelle at 10:13 am    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos,Travel  

Monday, August 19, 2013

Weekend Travels: Driving from McHenry MD

As we were driving to Swallow Falls, I saw this old barn, and was so fascinated by it, I made Michael stop on the way back.

I’m guessing this was Hurricane Sandy Damage, because it looked like it had been otherwise kept in good repair, and the property around it was in very good shape.

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Written by Michelle at 6:00 am    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos  

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Weekend Travels: Swallow Falls, Hurricane Sandy Damage

Saturday, we went to Deep Creek MD and Swallow Falls State Parks, and hiked around. Last year, we tried to go to Swallow Falls but it was closed, due to Hurricane Sandy.

There is still evidence of the destruction wrought everywhere we looked, even ten months after the storm.

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Written by Michelle at 6:55 pm    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos  

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Weekend Travels: Antietam & Sharpsburg MD

I think it would be very strange to live in Sharpsburg, an area that seems completely given over to Antietam Battlefield National Park.

I wonder if it is hard to live so much in the past and in the history of such horror.

As I said yesterday, I took very few pictures of the battlefields. Here are the pictures I took within the park area.

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Written by Michelle at 6:00 am    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos,Travel  

Monday, April 8, 2013

Weekend Travels: Antietam

As we walked around Antietam, I was surprised at how large the area was. I have no experience with war (for which I am greatly thankful) so I really had no idea what to expect.

The day was beautiful, which made it even stranger to consider that 150 years ago so very many men had bled and died there.

Here are some of the pictures I took at Antietam–not many pictures of the battlefield–I mostly walked and reflected.

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Written by Michelle at 6:00 am    

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Categories: History,Maryland,Photos  

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Weekend Travels: Deep Creek Lake

Our plan yesterday was to drive to Harpers Ferry today. However, the fact I went to bed early and still slept ten hours meant that we ended up looking for somewhere closer.

We set off for Swallow Falls, only to discover it was still closed from the storm. (Yeah, Michael somehow missed the giant bold text at the top of the page, saying they were closed.)

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So, we redirected towards Deep Creek Lake.

Since the lake is low, we walked along the shore.

I was (unsurprisingly) fascinated with the multiple tree stumps, lying on the shore like strange, tentacled, sea creatures.

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But we also just enjoyed what a beautiful day it was.

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Written by Michelle at 6:00 am    

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Categories: Maryland,Photos,Travel  

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