I spent all day Friday running around my mom's house, packing, getting things together, making sure I had everything that I needed. I tend to forget things and I really didn't want to do that this time around. So the day was spent washing clothes and packing.

My brother and I got picked up by my dad, (MarksReynolds on here) after he got off work and away we went. Got to his house and grabbed more stuff to shove into my luggage. Lena, my stepmother, and I are currently reading the same book series, which she got me into. It's the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter books. So we collaborated and decided to pack what was left of the series into ym bag to bring with us. After shoving about ten or so books into my bag I charged up my laptop and sat down for some internet time. Lena read, dad cooked pizza, and my brother played Call of Duty. This is where everything starts to go wrong, this was the first sign that this trip was going to be full of little bad moments that would make us wonder if we were cursed. The power in the entire neighborhood went out. Goodbye internet, lights, video games, and the oven with out food in it. Luckily the pizza was saved, candle were lit and flashlights were brought out.

After some very good food (my dad makes the best pizza ever) Lena and I grabbed somemore reading time by sharing a flashlight. It's amazing how well a flashlight will sit on your shoulder when your sitting on a couch with another person and both of you are reading different books. Of course the boys made fun of us, but who cares. Their brains are just too small to even begin to grasp the epicness of these books.

My brother did find something to do though, he downloaded tv shows on his cellphone. So while we read we got to listen to the antics of bugs bunny and Calimitous Sam. Ah cartoons, how I love thee.

So after some reading everyone finally piled off to bed. Me..I stayed up to read by flashlight until the power came back on, around 12:30 or so. So then I read by lamplight and finally fell asleep, knowing I had to get up really early the next morning and not liking it. I'm not the best morning person.

Finally Thursday night is here; the night before we leave for our vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I was hoping to get off work early, but noooooooooooooo, that was not to be. I actually ended up leaving later than I usually do!

7:20pm and I’m finally on my way out the door from work to pick up my daughter Courtnie (Roguefairy13, yeah she’s on here now too!) and son Mike, from their mom’s house in Davidsonville, about 10 or15 minutes from my job in Annapolis.

Now before I get too far along with this blog, most vacations have some glitches or foul ups along the way. But, this one had mishaps all along the way, right up to the very end, nothing horrible where someone had to go to the hospital, this time, but just inconveniences all along the way. But hey, it makes for a good story later on and we’re all home safe now. I guess leaving work late could be mishap #1

So, I pick up Courtnie & Mike, and they asked if I could make pizza for dinner. Since we are running a bit late, and making a pizza from scratch takes some time, I called Lena (bwitch16) and asked if she would start the dough for me. She was a bit hesitant at first, not that she can’t cook, she cooks better than me, but I’m the one that makes pizza from scratch, and she has never made this before. I talked her through the very easy steps of making the dough and told her to just let it sit to rise and to pre heat the oven for me and I’ll finish when we get there. When the kids and I got home, I checked the dough, all looked good, so I started to assemble the pizza. Once in the oven, we only had to wait 20 minutes before it was done. This gave me time to finish packing and to carry the luggage down to the front door to prepare for the early leave time in the morning.  

Now for mishap #2; Only 5 minutes to go on the cooking time and all is well, then the power goes out! Not just our house, but the whole neighborhood. What the hell! There’s no storms or bad weather and it’s not excessively hot, so why?? With only 5 minutes to go on the cooking time, I leave the pizza in for an extra 5 or 10 minutes just to be sure it is done while we start lighting candles all over the house. With the pizza done, we have our dinner by candle light and talk about our upcoming trip and what time we have to get up and leave the house so we can catch our early train out of Baltimore, near BWI airport.

After cleaning up, Courtnie & Lena, who are both big readers, share a flashlight and start reading while Mike and I make fun of their addiction to what ever books they are reading. This doesn’t last long, and we are soon all off to bed so we can get up at 4:00am to start our journey.

Oh yeah, the power does come back on in the middle of the night, so I have to get up and go around the house and turn everything off that was on before.

We absolutely loved staying at Chez Amis Bed and Breakfast! It was our only overnight stay in Annapolis during our 4 years living in DC (due to the traffic there) and we thoroughly enjoyed it! The former military owners were superb and the food was fantastic! Chez Amis is French for "House of Friends" and is built in a triagle-shaped former corner store which still boasts a turn-of-the-century dry goods glass case in the living room. Each room has a different theme--ours was very patriotic and even had a view of the Maryland Capitol building! The B&B is also very close to the St. John's College, the city dock, the Naval Academy, antique shops and fabulous dining in the historic part of Annapolis. Our room had its own bathroom and the living/dining room areas were very cozy and comfortable. Rooms range in price from $165.00-$215.00, each with a different theme and are well worth the price, just for the location and food! Look no further if you want a quality B&B in the heart of historic Annapolis! You won't be dissappointed!

For our friend's wedding we went to Annapolis Sandy Point State Park just off Route 50. It was a beautiful day and a nice little ceremony. Our camera deleted half of the pictures we took so that's all I have. :-(

I through my stuff in the truck bed and say my good byes and we were off. I've wanted so long for this day to come all of my senior year of high school. I would never have imagined what would happen one this trip. Our trip was planned as this we were to drive to Miami, Ohio where Jeff's brother lives and had just finished up his senior year at Ohio State and spend the night where on the next day we would drive straight to Washington D.C. and sleep in Annapolis where Jeff goes to school. Then tour the next day in D.C. then the next day set off for N.Y.C. for 2 days and 2 nights then head back and the next day catch my plane home to St. Louis and he would head out the following day to Egypt.

    So our adventure begin we drove to Ohio and stayed at Jeff's brothers house we had Indian food that night (I can still taste it). That was the first night that I had ever had Indian food; since that day I consider Indian food my favorite food next to Sea Food! We went to the Indian Palace in Miami, Ohio. There non bread was simple but I have never had any that was as good. They all had beer and I had water (because I was being cheap). We went home and went to sleep we had the longest part of the trip ahead of us.

    So we woke up around 7:00am on the 9th and started to drive to Washington, D.C.  I will and I’m sure Jeff wont either forget the 4 CD's that we had on this whole trip it was TiEsTo's new CD "Elements of Life", A iTUNES CD of techno, another CD of Techno and some crapy burnt CD with other techno on it. We also had the radio but every one knows that it is nearly impossible to find a good station when traveling across any large distances. So it’s about lunch time and we stop in this no where’s ville of a place in Arkansas! We decide to hit up McDonalds because its McDonalds cheap and we want some of those fries! We go inside because the line outside is way to long and we joke about this trophy that’s in the McDonalds that has a list of where their employees are going to college and a lot of them were going to community college and we joked about are community college. hahaha. So we order Jeff gets his I get a cheese burger with everything on it she says everything I say YES! I start driving and I open my cheeseburger and there was nothing but cheese, onions and ketchup. We were very sleep deprived so I get all pissed off and started flippin the cheeseburger off ect. We thought it was funny at least. Stay with me because it gets real good after this!

    So Jeff and I switch and I drive today till about 190 miles from D.C. and this Pontiac is driving all crazy and it passes us on the shoulder and Jeff accidentally cuts some people in a white SUV because the Pontiac was going to clip us if he didn't jerk the car into the other lane. So we cut off the white SUV that we had noticed a long time a go had all of these gay and lesbian bumper stickers on the back of it. (We had been laughing about how many of these "rainbow stickers and gay rights stickers we had seen on cars driving by). (DISCLAMOR: WE ARE NOT AGANST ANY GAY PEOPLE WE JUST SAW ALOT SO WE MADE A LITTLE JOKE NO OFFENSE PLEASE IT WAS A JOKE) The white SUV started to tailgate us and started to get all aggressive with us and we were like what the HELL is this person doing? They did this for about 25 miles then they pass us, so we pass them, then they pass us. So we at this point we remember that they had those gay rights stickers on there bumper so I got a pen and paper and wrote in all caps “WHERE IS THE LESBIAN CONVENTION?” .Then all the girls in the SUV stared laughing. We are riding side by side and all the sudden they are rolling down there windows and so are we are yelling at them and they are at us and then I look in front of us cause Jeff isn’t prolly watching the road and all the sudden Jeff lets the car swerve a little and I accidentally take a picture and the reason Jeff swerved was because one of the girls flashed us. Jeff makes a tb inappropriate comment about her and we laugh all the way to D.C. they turn off towards the beach exit and we continue towards D.C. I never saw anything and my picture doesn’t show anything but the girl getting ready to commit the dirty deed. This was the first leg of the trip the next night and day holds one OF THE BEST STORIES THAT I WILL EVER EVER HAVE TO TELL IN MY LIFE!

Lena and I were married 23 June 2007 after living together since Oct 1999. We started planning this wedding three years in advance, and we believe it went almost perfictly.

Lena is originaly from Sweden and came to the United States with her first husband , an American, in 1997. Lena and I met while working for the same bio tech company in Rockville, Maryland. We became close friends and soon relized we were both in the same situation with marrages not working out. We dated for about a month, then in Oct 1999, I asked her to move in with me. I thought she might move back to Sweden if I didn't act fast.  Lena became a US citizen in 2003, but still remains a Swedish citizen. Lena’s father past in 1993, long before I had an opportunity to meet him. Lena’s mother, brother and the rest of her family all live in Sweden. As much as we wanted her entire family to be here for the wedding, we knew it was to long of a trip for her mother to make, and very expensive for most of her family and friends to afford. Two of Lena’s close friends, and her brother and his family were able to make the trip from Sweden to be with us on our special day. It meant so much to us to have her brother here to walk her down the isle in place of her father. Since Lena has be living here, she found two girls, Karin & Jenney, also Swedish, living in the area and they have become close friends. When her best friend from Sweden couldn't make the trip to be in the wedding, she asked both Karin & Jenny to be in the wedding. Of course, that ment I had to find one more guy with only a month before the wedding, but that was no problem.

The day started with all of the girls coming over to our house in Annapolis to finish getting ready. Our photographer arrived at our home around 3:30 pm and took pictures of the girls as they prepared. The black stretch limo picked up the girls at our house, as well as the two black SUV’s for our out of country guests, about 4:00 pm and drove them all to The Castle at Maryvale for the ceremony. I had set up with some of the Maryland State Police motorcycle officers I know to escort the limos to the castle, but they were unable to make it due to a last minute incident.

I know this has nothing to do with travelling, but who doesn't like seeing pet pictures :)

Today was my day off work, and the day after my birthday, so we (Lena & I) went to the Route 450 bridge which crosses the Severn River, to watch the Blue Angels perform for the Naval Acadamy. They do this every year at this time as part of graduation week. After the show, we went down town for a walk and to get an icecream. It started off as a cloudy day with a few sprinkles of rain, but the rain never did come, and the sun came out to make it a very nice day down town.

Since I live in Annapolis, and it seems to be a tourist destination, even though I don’t see it that way, until all the tourist show up and screw up traffic, I figured I should write a bit about this historic little city. Now I’m not much of a writer, so I hope my ramblings don’t bore anyone. Annapolis, Maryland is located on the west side of the Chesapeake Bay between The Severn River and The South River, almost center of the state, if the state was a square, which it is definitely not. Annapolis is a 30 minute drive South of Baltimore, Maryland and a 45 minute drive East of Washington D.C. Also, living in Annapolis, we are only a 2 to 2-1/2 hour drive from the Atlantic Ocean to our East, or a 2 to 3 hour drive to the Blue Ridge or Appalachian Mountains to the North West. If you want to visit and see all Maryland has to offer, stay in the Annapolis area and you can do many day trips to all of the different sites. Let’s start with the historic aspect of our state capital. Annapolis, Maryland was founded in 1649 and was originally called "Providence" when settled by the Puritans. It was later called "Anne Arundel's Towne" after the wife of Lord Baltimore, who owned the proprietary colony. It wasn't until a Royal Governor, Sir Francis Nicholson, moved the capital here from St. Mary's City that Annapolis received its present name. Annapolis was also the country's capital when the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War, was signed here. All four Maryland signers of the Declaration of Independence had impressive homes in Annapolis, which still stand today. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other U.S. historical figures visited and spent much time in Annapolis and you can still eat and drink in some of the same taverns as they did back in the 18th century. Today, Annapolis has more of these original 18th century structures still standing than any other city in the United States. Many are open to the public, where their beauty and architectural style is a major attraction. Historic Annapolis Foundation operates the William Paca house as a museum, and also has lots of information about many of the other historical treasures. You can visit their web site at: http://www.annapolis.org/index.asp?pageid=42 Annapolis is also famous for being the home of the United States Naval Academy. However, this world famous institution isn't the oldest college in town. That distinction belongs to St. John's College, founded in 1696 as King William's School, and is the third oldest college in the United States (after Harvard and William and Mary). Every spring, the students of the Naval Academy and St. John’s College engage in a spirited game of croquet on the front lawn of St.John's campus. The U.S. Naval Academy is also open to visitors, but because this is a military base, you can not drive into the academy. You can however park in the many parking garages down town and take a short walk to the academy. All you need is a photo I.D, such as a driver’s license or a passport, to enter the academy grounds to visit the many historical buildings and museums there. Also remember, this is a school and during certain times of the year, or depending on what is going on in the world, access may be restricted. Graduation for the academy is in May and this is one of the busiest times of the year for Annapolis. The families of the graduating students are in town, and it gets very crowded here. Also, the Navy’s Blue Angles do a show here. The Blue Angles are the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron. They have a practice flight the day before the show, and then the next day they perform. Getting around the Annapolis area during these shows can be very difficult. So if you want to watch the show and you are not familiar with the area, hook up with a local that can take you to the good spots for an unobstructed view. It seems the entire city takes the day off, or at least an extended lunch, to watch these amazing pilots as they fly their F/A-18 Hornets across the skies of Annapolis. The team demonstrates choreographed graceful aerobatic maneuvers, along with fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo Pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation. From giant loops, to almost standing still in mid air, this is a must see! For more information on the Blue Angles, visit: http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/ Now for the shops, restaurants and bars in the area. The area we locals call the City Dock, or Downtown, is where all the touristy shops are located. There are lots of shops and stores selling every thing you can imagine a tourist shop would sell. There are also many restaurants and bars here. If you drive downtown, pay heed to any and all parking regulations. The City of Annapolis hires some of the best parking enforcement officers in the state, and they will not hesitate to write a ticket at the first opportunity. Park in one of the parking garages and walk. Everything is close and you don’t have to worry about the time. Some restaurants are very good, and some, well, let me make a better suggestion. During the day, you can get a bite to eat or something to drink, and sit outside by the water watching the boats and people go by. At night, the bars fill up with locals and visitors for dancing, or just a drink. Some of the bars will have live music, and some just a DJ. What ever music style you’re into, I’m sure you can find it here. On to the food, my favorite part! I’ll try and cover the major food groups with this one. I haven’t been to every restaurant in town, or will I ever, but I’ve been to a few, and this is just my own opinion, so if you visit one of my suggestions and you don’t like it, you must have bad taste…just kidding! I told you before, the city dock has many places to eat, and some are very good, but some of the best are not in town. There are many small local restaurants tucked away in the neighborhoods that only the locals know how to find them. On course Maryland is known for crabs, Blue Crabs that is, and if you want to eat Maryland Blue Crabs, the only place I go is Cantlers Riverside Inn. This is a typical crab house style restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, covered and uncovered, right on the water. If you’re eating crabs, the picnic style tables are covered with heavy brown paper, and the crabs are dumped right in the center for you to pick and enjoy. This is how it’s done Maryland style! Some of the other seafood restaurants we enjoy are Deep Creek Restaurant, Yellow Fin, and Fishermans Inn. Deep Creek is a small local place on the water, very cozy and comfortable. The staff is very friendly and seems to know almost everyone that eats there. The food is very good, the crab soup is excellent, and the crap dip is to die for! You could almost make a meal just out of that. Yellow fin is much bigger, and fancier than Cantlers or Deep Creek, and a suit and tie is not uncommon, but you can still go in shorts and a t-shirt as if you just came from a day on the boat. Yellow fin has a great wine list, excellent food and a key lime pie that taste like it’s right from the Florida Keys! The water views from the window seats are also very nice. Fishermans Inn is located just over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Maryland's Eastern Shore. This is a cozy, family run place and has been around since 1930. It includes a 30-seat sophisticated indoor dining area, a seafood market, and, of course, the popular summertime dining destination, the Crab Deck, complete with indoor and outdoor picnic tables-perfect for eating those famous Maryland Blue Crabs! If you’re looking for Italian, there is only one place we go, Maria's Sicilian Ristorante at the City Dock. The food here is superb and authentic! Great wine, atmosphere, and the view from the upstairs window seats are excellent! You do not need a reservation, but make one for upstairs by a window and enjoy! This is where I asked Lena to marry me, so it has a special place in our hearts. If you want to eat where George Washington ate and drank, Middleton Tavern at the City Dock. This is a great place for lunch or a light dinner. They serve steak and seafood in this colonial era tavern. We’ve had lunch a few times here and the crab cake sandwich is excellent. Are you in the mood for ribs? You must try Adams Ribs in Eastport/Bay Ridge. There are three Adams Ribs in the Annapolis area, but the one in Eastport, in my opinion, is the best! These ribs just melt off the bone, with a wet sauce that is just right. This is definitely the only place to go to for ribs! There are a few sushi places in town, but our favorite is Kyoto’s in Severna Park. The sushi bar is small, but the sushi is excellent! They also have five or six hibachi grills where the chief cooks your food to order right in front of you. But, you better watch out for flying food. The entertaining chiefs enjoy flipping the utensils around and flipping a piece of food your way to see if you can catch it in your mouth. This place is fun! If you’re looking for a more modern sushi bar, try Tsunami on West Street in Annapolis. This is a chic Japanese-European-American mix restaurant which also serves sushi with techno music softly playing in the back ground. This is not your average sushi bar, very different, but good. Looking for some authentic Greek food? Try Chris' Charcoal Pit on West Street in the Parole area of Annapolis. This is a small place and they only take cash, but it’s almost like being in Greece. The food here is excellent and the staff friendly. There are not many German restaurants that I know of in Maryland, and only one in the Anapolis area is The Old Stein Inn in Edgewater. My wife lived in Germany for two years and she said if it wasn't for everyone speaking English, she would think she was in Germany! The look and feel inside is right out of a small Gaststube somewhere in southwest Germany. The menu features red cabbage and potato salad piled high next to large portions of pork roast, Wiener schnitzel, goulash, knockwurst, and many other dishes out of the heart of Germany. They also have a excellent selection of beer on tap, and bottled, representing a wide range of German brands and styles. There's something for the wine lover, too. Only the best German estate wines are served, including the popular Riesling, a sweet white wine from the Rhein and Mosel valleys. If you are looking for historic, but elegant, and a great steak, Treaty of Paris is the place to go. The building is as old as Annapolis it self, and the food and service is excellent. The filet mignon needs no knife, and the Tournedos with béarnaise sauce was the best we’ve ever had any where! For a bit more modern and with a great view of the water, Chart House restaurant would be our next choice. This is on the Eastport side of town and sits at the end of a pier right on the water across from the City Dock. This is a large wooden framed building, but very nice and upscale with a nautical theme. The view of the City Dock is excellent, and the steak is superb! My last restaurant is more a local pub that a restaurant. Heroes Restaurant has your typical pub fare, sandwiches, 44 beers on tap, and sports on the many TVs. The food is always good and the beer always cold! At night, there may be a DJ, or a live band playing. They also have dart boards up if you think you can hit the dart board after sampling their many beers. The theme of this pub is our local police and fire fighters. You’ll find many picture and other items from our local “Heroes” on the walls here. This is a local place but always friendly and open to new comers. Now for the Hotels; we live here, so I can’t say much for the hotels in the area because we don't stay in them...we have a house! There are a lot, some nice, and some not so nice. Some expensive, and some cheep. I’m a believer of you get what you pay for. If you don't plan on living in the place, all you need is a clean secure room and a comfortable bed to lay your head on. If you’re planning to visit Annapolis let me know and we may be able to accommodate you for a night or two. We have two spare bedrooms, which my children from my first marriage use when they are here. Lena and I did spend our wedding night at the Marriot Annapolis Waterfront, so that’s what I’m going to write about. The place is very nice, has great views from the waterside rooms, very clean and fresh for being on the water, bed very comfortable and the staff friendly, breakfast was also very nice sitting on our small balcony overlooking the water, and the restaurant, Pusser's Caribbean Grille, is also very good. We’ve eaten lunch here a few times and it is very good! Like I said, we spent our wedding night here, so that’s about all I got, or remember :)~ For more information on the Marriot Annapolis Waterfront, visit http://www.annapolismarriott.com/index.cfm As I wrote at the beginning of this, Annapolis is in the middle of every thing Maryland has to offer a traveler looking for something, or nothing, to do. Mountain biking, camping, hiking in the many state and local parks, boating, fishing in fresh water and salt water, beaches, mountains, farm country, concerts and live music, The US Sailboat and Power Boat shows are in Annapolis every year, The Maryland Renaissance Festival is here August through September, Seafood Festivals, Wine Festivals, small towns and big cities, we have it all. If you ever visit here, give us a shout and we’ll be more than happy to show you around, or point you in the right direction. May you have many safe and happy travels, Mark Reynolds

This was my first time visiting McDonald's. I had heard that it was where many of the locals gathered for a quick, tasty meal. And they were right; many of the local residents were walking through the parking lot, or ordering through what they call a "drive-thru". Stepping inside, I could see why this restaurant is so highly regarded. Bright colors greeted me from every angle, and earth-toned floors hinted of the All-American home. Starting off, I decided to go with the Chicken Nuggets (4 pieces, $1.00 US). The flaky crust was an excellent complement to the tender white meat encased inside. I was offered a dipping sauce, as well. I chose the Sweet and Sour. The subtle flavors -- both pungent and syrup-like -- reminded me of an exciting East Asian adventure! For the main course, I went with a Big Mac combination meal ($4.99 US). The legend of the "Big Mac" goes back into the 1970s, according to my server. Apparently, a local manager in Pittsburgh decided to throw together two traditional beef patties, and added his own toppings and a "secret sauce". It remains a secret today; my server was tight-lipped about its composition. And for good reason, too. The sauce was the perfect companion to the two seeded buns, American cheese, lettuce, onions and pickles. The meal also came with french fries, a reliable favorite and a cornerstone to the McDonald's enterprise. Topped off with a drink of my choice, the combination meal left me with no regrets. For dessert, I went with the Apple Pie (two for $1.00 US). A play on an American favorite, McDonald's took the traditional circle shape and converted it to a conveniently shaped bar form. And it's taste is unparrelled. The McIntosh apples truly melt in your mouth, and the hot cinnamon dusted breading do an excellent job sealing in the viscous center. Overall, it was an amazing experience. Great food, quick service, and a memorable ambiance treated me to a delightful afternoon - a truly happy meal.

    Very fascinating stuff in this little Navy-soaked waterside town. If there was a building in the area not built before the revolution then I didn't see it. Picturesque in all the "homey-curl up with a good book-cup o'joe at the corner shop-hey hows your folks" kind of ways.
    The day started out with a quick pit stop at the barracks to change and pound on Rod's door...apparently he appreciated the gesture cause he still managed to throw on some pants and adventure with me...what are friends for?
    We mapquested directions and set off. I must interject here and now that I dont do direction reading unless its super barney kinder style cause my potential for misdirection is at a never fail rate of 99.99 percent... and usually has great results and winds up leading us to some interesting places so i usually cant complain, however considering my objective had been set in stone that Annapolis was the one and only place i wanted to peruse...I handed Rod the directions.
    30 minutes later, we were swinging around a round-about that marylanders so seem to love and place at every possible junction to hinder the non-maryland-road-savvy traveller to their ultimate confusion and peril...however all was not lost and we found a parking garage. Parked...got out...surveyed the area briefly...proceeded to get marvelously lost on foot.
    Through alleyways, byways, cobblestoned crosswalks, flagstoned sidewalks, past squished dr seussical houses, coffee shops, pit stops, book stores, candy boutiques, and one fascinating antiques store dubbed " The Scarlet Letter" we made our way to the waterfront.
    Ducks and seagulls abound...and so does there poop but we aptly dodged the fecal matter unlike the landlocked loving air force people that we be...arrrrrrrr matey. took a few snaps of Rod doing the ubiquitous capt morgan pose off the dock and a couple of cutesy awwwww pics then it was time to explore.
    Wandering into a tourist trap "TSHIRTS FOR $5" plastered with everything maryland/annapolis/navy, we found some crazy crab hats that just had to be shown to the greater world. look for yourself...they are hilarious. Also the wall of socks cannot be avoided...trust me I tried. Its like the scene of a horrific car accident...you know that though you will regret it that you did, you still look...often.
    We also found a fantastic little cigar shop that was a must see considering it currently houses annapolis's philosophers...actually they were just a bunch of old me puffing cigars in fold out and plastic yard chairs while reminicing about some old times...ones that apparently involved an edible camel and pair of donkeys. The story goes that they found out somehow that Rod was slated to go to Iraq later this year and decided to bring up Africa. Well, the proprieters son lived in africa after joining the peace corps and happend to have a hankering for a camel friend... apparently they are better looking than the women in that particular village and dont have aids...i dont know im just assuming. Anyway, after purchasing said camel the camel takes one look at the owner, declaring in his camel mind that this is not the man for me and presumes to run away from home repeatedly...so the current owner takes him to a market and trades him for two donkeys and a cart...they had the camel later that day...delish. Ahhh the fine workings of african economics...very scholarly discussions abound in this little smoke-laden haven...so i had to move on.
    By this time my stomach is in upheaval at the lack of digestive material available and makes it known that if I dont start paying immediate attention to it, rebellion will ensue in the form of indigestion of the most acute kind. Submitting to the will of the organs I decide to choose a restaurant to slake my hunger. One problem...too many restaurants all temptingly wafting their scents out into the streets driving my salivary glands into hyperactive mode. I become glassy-eyed over the fresh fudge, moonfaced at the reubens at the market store, a bucket of emotion over the hot crabcakes at the federal, and a bumbling idiot just trying to imagine nibbling on good irish stew at a corner pub...barely standing I make my mind up by doing the next best thing...making Rod decide where to go instead of me. Always good thinking because Rod can pick out a prime steak from a good 50 yards...his parents are proud. We wander over to Middletowns Tavern and nibble on almond honey baked brie with fresh grapes, parmesan crusted grouper dripping with mango lime butter, and a succulent steak with a hint of worchester sauce on the side. Surrounded by fluffy mashed potatoes and a heaping of winter veggies, my stomach devours everything without a quip of complaint. I have once again tamed the hunger beast and can resume another 3 hours of uninterupted sight seeing.
    After an interlude at another coffee joint, for yet another Chai breve, and an after dinner chocolate chip cookie (generous on the chocolate chip) we meander our way back to the parking garage...flip on the van morrison...and get lost trying to find our way out of this charming place...my bad i forgot to get to and FROM directions-sue me.
    So ends another adventure.

Sandwiched between the lanes of a highway, the World War II memorial of Annapolis combines an older overlook (great view of the Naval Academy) with a more modern design on the lower level. The lower level is a circle of tall walls in narrow segments, a few of which have the names of those from Maryland who served in the war. A series of about 20 informational plaques give a strong overview of the war on both a national and state perspective. Two small circles just outside of the circle of wall segments reveal the Pacific and European theaters. The center of this outdoor memorial is designed to also work as a small ampitheater. The memorial is handicap accessible and easy to view. The most difficult part can be getting into the correct lane for the parking lot since it is a left exit. No restroom facilities. If you have the time, try visiting the memorial in the evening as well; the lights from the city across the river are beautiful.

The trip will start here after I finish Navy sail training in Annapolis

  Happy: full of good food and minds abuzz with love and the beautiful artwork.

  From which we caught a ride to the metro station in New Carrollton and thence to DC.