planes, trains & automobiles (and ferries, subways, buses...well, you get the picture): I should be a tour guide

July 30, 2014

Five states in one day, and a ridiculous amount of things seen. We did it! Started off the day saying goodbye and a big thank you to Julie and David in Virginia. Then we drove to Baltimore, Maryland to see Fort McHenry where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner. While we were there, I couldn’t help myself – we had to sneak over to the Westminster Burying Ground and Catacombs where one of my favorite tragic authors, Edgar Allan Poe, is buried. It’s a very cool, old cemetery and would be worth visiting even without the memorial to the master of the macabre.

We then made a b-line out of Baltimore and arrived in Philadelphia with only minutes to spare before our scheduled tour of Independence Hall where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed. Talk about some living history! While we were there, we made the obligatory visit to the Liberty Bell and ate a Philly Cheesesteak. Of course, we couldn’t get out of Philly without also getting a picture with the Rocky statue and running up the Rocky stairs. I also wanted to visit Poe’s house because it was an awesome experience with Jenny, Brad and my other history teacher friends when we came four years ago, but I checked before we left and saw that it’s only open on weekends now – the same is true of the Poe house in Baltimore. Oh well, I’ll have to return someday.

After Philadelphia we continued our journey north and eventually checked into our hotel in Jersey City. We are staying here because it is close to Hoboken, New Jersey, the one place all three of our kids specially requested we visit while on the East Coast. The love the TV shows Cake Boss and the Next Great Baker – especially Zac – and they really wanted to visit the original Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken where it all started. So we made it into line before closing and were the last people in the shop – the kids had all earned and saved money specifically for this stop so mom, dad and Uncle Mike kicked in a little as well, and we left with a few t-shirts and way more baked goods than our family and Dee and Mike can eat – if any of our friends happen to be near Jersey City, stop in and share some cannoli, chocolate mouse cake and brownies with us – we’ve got plenty left.