A Little Trip Back East

This last week I was able to visit a friend who lives in Maryland. It was my first time that far east and I wasn't completely prepared for the heat and humidity combo. Have you ever sweated all day long and come back 'home' and realize your face is all salty? It's awesome.

Anyways, enough beauty talk. I enjoyed my time there...

We toured the Philadelphia temple.

Walked 30 minutes in downtown Philly (oh how I wished we had driven as there was a parking area right next to these things and the heat melted me, but Thania, no worries! I enjoyed it still.) to see the Liberty Bell and Liberty Hall.

We went kayaking.

 Visited a very cool museum in St. Michaels (where there were virtually no "do not touch" signs, so yeah, I was all over that).

Visited Fort McHenry (which inspired The Star Spangled Banner). I think this was my favorite part.

 

  

St. Michaels Maritime museum on Chesapeake Bay...

I think this might be a little too small for Thor...

This made me laugh...

 Around town in St. Michaels...

cool metal street posts

Fort McHenry... 

life-size replica of the flag used at the fort that could be seen from 8 miles away.

We got to help fold this flag - they were down sizing because a storm was coming.

Brick, my weakness.

HUGE steps!

Biggest cannon I've ever seen...

So here's a funny story. We walked all around the fort and kept saying things like, "I wonder if this is original brick, windows, structures, etc". Finally at one point, Thania restated something we'd known from the video we watched before walking to the fort, and that was that the battle had raged for 24 hours, to which I hastily replied, "Thania, I can't believe it took us this long to remember that and thus realize that this place was heavily bombed for many hours and therefore needed to be repaired. And we have been walking around totally thinking it was all original and as it was 200+ years ago." Of course many parts probably were original, but honestly, how could I have forgotten all the destruction and thus, repairs? 

If this story didn't make you laugh, that's okay. Suffice it to say, I was embarrassed.

The end!