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Moments later, a waiter comes back and removes everything from
the table – silverware, dishes, tablecloth and all. A second waiter
appears with a large sheet of paper, kind of like grocery store
bag material, and spreads it out in front of you. You start to
panic, as you can't figure out whether or not this is real, or
you're on Candid Camera. Finally, a third waiter bursts through
the kitchen with a large tray and dumps a load of crabs onto
the table . He hands you a little tiny fork, smiles, then
walks away.
Welcome to Baltimore.
Oh, it's not all like this. Baltimore is a city that has grown
and changed in many ways over the past few decades. In fact, the
once rugged waterfront is now the city's most vibrant area, where
on a summer's day thousands of people mill about, alternately enjoying
the sunshine and ducking into the myriad shopping centers and restaurants
to stay cool.
History rims the harbor, from submarines to sailing ships to Coast
Guard cutters and more. Fort McHenry and its enormous American
flag remind us that Baltimore, during the War of 1812, gave us “The
Star-Spangled Banner.” For wildlife lovers, the Baltimore Zoo has
just added a new polar bear exhibit, and the National Aquarium
has recently undergone a multimillion-dollar expansion as well.
For those who hope to catch a professional sports team in season
while cruising the East Coast, there's New York's Yankee Stadium
and Boston's Fenway Park, but neither matches the beauty of Oriole
Park at Camden Yards. Apart from being the one stadium after which
all others are now being designed in America, the park this year
will unveil its newest attraction, a 22,000 square foot museum
honoring native son Babe Ruth, famed Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas,
student-athletes of local colleges and more.
Baltimore takes pride in its diverse ethnic population and features
a wonderful series of cultural fairs throughout the
summer, celebrating the heritages of people from all over the world.
And there's no better place to be than Baltimore Harbor for the
4th of July.
Tie up and hail a water taxi. Leave your worries on board,
and learn how to do as the Baltimoreans do.
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