The next stop on our itinerary found us in Annapolis, MD...
This was both good news and bad.
The good side was that the marina is very centrally located to most of the main historical sites to visit by walking. The bad was that it is one of the busiest harbor locations in Annapolis with lots of boat, car, and pedestrian traffic throughout the day.
We were greeted on our first night by Eric and Bonnie...
who live in a nearby suburb. We had met them at Swan Point Marina in Snead's Ferry, NC a month earlier. They told us to give them a call when we came to town so we did. On our first night in town they arranged to take us to dinner at Cafe Normandie. We were fortunate to see them several times as they hosted us in their home for a sushi dinner later in the week and a night out at a barbecue restaurant the night before we left. Thank you Eric and Bonnie for all of your hospitality, gifts, and help in directing us while we were in your town!
This wonderful restaurant was just a short walk from the boat. We had a great waiter...
who was really good at explaining the nuances of French cooking and how it related to the menu for the night.
The next day started with a trolley tour...
... of the historical part of the city which started at the visitors center. The building..
...had once been owned by Charles Carroll, an important political figure at the time of the Revolutionary War. Debi is a descendant of him. At one point in time he was the wealthiest man in Maryland but could not vote!
The colony was started by Lord Baltimore as a place for religious freedom for Catholics after the Protestants took over in England. After a number of years the Protestants moved into the colony as well in such numbers that they eventually outnumbered the Catholics and took away their right to vote. So when Charles Carroll signed the Declaration of Independence, he had no voting privileges as a private citizen but had been elected to represent Maryland during that time.
We finished our trolley tour at the Maryland State House.
This building has been the longest functioning state legislative building in the US. There is history in ever corner. It served as the US capitol from November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784.
It is here that George Washington resigned his position as Commander of the Continental Army on December 23, 1783.
This sign was found on the wall of a corridor in the building. We felt that it should have probably been posted at the entry door to the building instead!
Other visits in Annapolis included the US Naval Academy.
What an inspirational place that is. We were taken on a walking tour on the grounds and many of the buildings. Once again you find yourself surrounded by history.
Near the entrance is "Bill", the Naval Academy mascot.
... and all the footballs for the winner of the Army-Navy game. The Navy has a win streak going right now.
As we walked the beautiful grounds...
...we passed the homes where the officers live.
We also encountered a 100 year memorial to the US Navy Submarine Force.
One of our favorite places was the Naval Academy Chapel. It is lined with beautiful stained glass windows...
with a corresponding bible verse for the scene depicted. Our favorite was:
In the basement of the chapel are the remains of and memorial to John Paul Jones.
He is considered by some to be the Father of the US Navy because of his his actions during the Revolutionary War. He is to have uttered the famous words... "I have not yet begun to fight"... when asked if he was ready to surrender his ship. He died in France in 1792 at the age of 45. His friends buried him in a coffin filled with straw and alcohol in an obscure cemetery. They meant to preserve him and they did.
In the early 1900's a search by the US government was made for his remains and after 6 years finally located. Because there were no paintings of him the searchers took this bust of him to try to help identify him.
The story goes that when the lead-lined coffin was open, there was a perfectly preserved John Paul Jones who looked just like the bust. After 113 years on French soil he was brought back to the United States and now rests in the chapel in a beautiful bronze and marble sarcophagus.
Other tours in the city included the William Paca house.
He was also a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His house and gardens have been restored and are open for tours which have a "no photographs please" stipulation. The gardens were laid out in four quadrants...
and included a fish shaped pond [here's the tail]...
This is but a small part of the history in and around Annapolis that we could easily access. We will have to return to enjoy more of what this beautiful town has to offer.
Nautical Word For The Day: [from seatalk.info]
Gaff:
1. The spar to which a four-sided fore-and-aft sail is bent at the head.
2. A long-handled hook used for lifting a fish on board.
From Great Loop Jargon:
3. The characteristic of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Some of us are really good at that one.
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