Sue_Serio's Blog

A trip to my hometown will only use up a quarter tank of gas.    Of course, I'm going to tell you that it's worth it. 

Standing on the deck of the USS Constellation, which has been docked at Baltimore's Inner Harbor since before I was born (and that's a long, long time) was a surreal experience for me.

When I was a child, that area of town was no more a tourist attraction than a trip to the dump.   It was a gritty, dirty working harbor, and my mother would tell us to lock our doors whenever we drove by in the car.

While I was in high school, I became aware that Baltimore was in the midst of  an amazing transformation.  The Inner Harbor was cleaned up, paved, and made beautiful.  For a city with an inferiority complex, living in the shadow of D.C., it was stunning  to see how our city changed.   My most amazing memory of that early time was when the Tall Ships came to town in the summer of 1976.   I actually felt proud to be from Baltimore, and that feeling has never gone away.

Take a look at what I'm talking about, in this view of the Harbor from the deck of the Constellation.  

Check out this video: One Tank Trip to Baltimore

We didn't have time during our broadcast to talk about one of the highlights of a trip to Baltimore, a visit to the National Aquarium, so here's more about the place with the cool dolphins:

 Check out this video: One Tank Trip - National Aquarium in Baltimore

The best part of our One Tank Trip for me, of course, was the fact that my whole family got up early and came to see me!   It meant more to me than I can say.

Here is my daughter Nia, along with  nephew Luke, niece Morgan, nephew Jake and   Macy, 5, giving us a tour below the deck of the Constellation, which first sailed in the 1850s.   They were amazed that even I wasn't alive then!    Take this virtual tour and then go visit in person...............

Check out this video: A Tour of the Constellation

If you've already been to Baltimore, please let me know, in the comment section below,  your favorite thing about the city.   Gotta go now.   There's a crab cake waiting with my name on it................................