Sailabration Fun

Saturday morning we piled into the car and headed to Baltimore. This is the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and we were headed to see the "Tall Ships" which were in port for what is dubbed the "Star Spangled Sailabration."  We knew that Robby would be in awe with the ships and we weren't going to pass on this historic event.

We had originally planned for a day trip until my Dad offered to use some of his hotel reward points to secure us a room. We stayed a few blocks from the harbor and from our window had a fantastic view both of the ships and the firework show. Thanks to him we were able to turn a day excursion into a mini vacation.

As predicted, Robby was left breathless by the ships. He simply walked around aghast looking at the massive vessels. He loved boarding and exploring them but seemed most impressed by talking with the various crew members. My little guy certainly does know how to put on the charm: he was able to get a private tour of the living quarters which was off-limits to tourists!

While waiting in line to ride a small electric boat, we were treated to an airshow by the Blue Angels. We tried to prep Robby by telling him that he was going to see special airplanes that not many little boys get a chance to see. He was psyched when he heard the roaring and saw the first plane fly overhead.

It didn't take long for his delight to morph into horror. During their first trick, as everybody else in the crowd was saying "ooh" and "ahh," my little guy started screaming for help. "Momom, quick! Call an ambulance. Oh my gosh this is horrible. Stop taking pictures and call for help. They are all going to crash and die." He covered his eyes with his hands and began to tremble.

Apparently we forgot to tell Robby one important fact about the Blue Angels: the pilots do tricks. He wasn't expecting to see aerial acrobats and instead thought he was witnessing a crash. After some reassurance both from me and his Daddy that the pilots were doing tricks and not losing control, he began to enjoy the show.

With the trauma of the Blue Angels behind us, we went on to have a fantastic afternoon. Robby steered the electric boat around the harbor and learned how to load a cannon. We finally arrived back in our hotel room, exhausted but happy. I was perhaps the most overjoyed when we realized that the fireworks could be seen from our hotel window, meaning that I could relax and that I didn't have to put my leg back on!

We had a great time in Baltimore at the "Sailabration." I'm glad that we decided to go because, despite the crowds and the Blue Angel debacle, it was a wonderful experience. Hopefully, it was just the first of many summer adventures to come!