Baltimore
 

So, another two years has passed, which means that it's time for me to head to Baltimore for a conference.

The parent organization is based in Ellicott City, and despite being the International organization, the World Congress is always in Baltimore. The Aussies occasionally threaten to stage a coup and make everybody come to them, but they seem to have some organizational issues and haven't yet managed this. They are the best guys to hang out and party with, though. At the Eighth World Congress they adopted a homeless dude that was sleeping out near the hotel somewhere. I briefly adopted a drunken Finnish Psychologist, because that's the sort of thing that goes on at conferences.

This is the Tenth World Congress, so, as with anything involving numbers that end in zero, it's a big deal for the organization. I've been attending since the Fourth World Congress, and have been going down since the Second (I used to go to babysit my friend's kids who were too young to be left to their own devices).

Over the years I have stayed in a variety of hotels, from the very plush Renaissance Harborplace (the one attached to the three story mall), to the downright scary Omni (which is located in the Badlands and has a Baltimore City Policeman station in the lobby ... and if you go out the front doors at night, the doorman says things like "Hon, don't you go so far away that I can't see you."

The last two conferences have been at the Marriott Inner Harbor Waterfront, where, because my room was booked by someone who does a lot of business travelling and has Platinum level status in the Marriott loyalty club, I had concierge level access and awesome harborside views.

This year is a year of some firsts.

One of them is that I will be staying at the brand new Hilton Inner Harbor.

The other is that the person that usually goes with me has a family emergency and I am on my own for travel, so instead of driving I'm taking the train. It turns out that I will save at least $50 by doing this over the costs of gas, tolls, and valet parking.

What I need to know ... what's the best way to get from Penn Station to the Hilton, which is supposed to be near the Convention Center? Obviously I can take a cab from Penn Station, but if there's a close enough light rail stop, I might consider that, since it's $1.60, and you don't have to tip the conductor.

I've planned my arrival in Baltimore for early afternoon.

Surely there will be a helpful person in the information kiosk, but I figured someone here might already know.

I'm only 25 minutes outside the city, but when I have gotten into Malty-bore, I have driven. So I'm of no use to you... But if you have a spare evening or half-hour at some point, I'd love to meet up and have a beer. PM me if you're interested.

When I go there, I drive. I've seen light rail though. So I know it's around.

I've only driven thru Baltimore and it wasn't pretty.

Why are there no songs about Baltimore? Hmmm....

Quoth my girlfriend, the Baltimore city native:
"
1. Walk out of the train station and turn left. That is St. Paul St heading downtown. All the way at the street side is a bus stop on the left. You take the #3 bus. It costs something like $1.60. It dumps you just about right next to the Convention Center.

2. Find out which track is the Light Rail. Take the Light Rail to the Convention Center stop. Hard to remember right? You will see the HUGE Hilton beast on your left and Camden Yards baseball stadium off to your right. It is a small stop, you get let off next to a parking lot. If you go one stop further, no worries, you just have a bit more walking to do. The fare is still $1.60.

http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/lightrail/schedule/

Hope that helps. The #3 is fairly reliable for a Baltimore bus, the Light Rail is supposed to run every 15 minutes-ish. The schedule will tell you more. And you’ll want the “southbound” one. "

Thank you!!

That is why I love on-the-ground detail.

My girlfriend gives the best Baltimore directions. They're vivid and annotated with all sorts of detail.

Glad she could help you out.

Ok so now I've seen the Wire I want to see Baltimore.

What's fascinating to me is that the 'Projects' in the Wire look almost exactly like the housing estates in Salford (my birthtown). And in some ways like the housing estates in the area I represent on council.

Unfortunately things did not work out on this trip to get together with Pie, but other than that I had a good, but very busy time.

My room was on the top floor and the elevator demanded that I enter my keycard to gain access.

View from the Room:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/...0b882c13_b.jpg

I've got pictures from the nice touristy downtown inner harbor area of Baltimore. Nothing like the Wire. Since they tore down the old stadium, I haven't had any reason to visit the scary parts of town.

I've stayed in the scary parts of town. I'm glad the organization is out of that phase.

The 'scary' parts of Baltimore are the best parts. Nothing like playing Guy or Gal with the prostitutes on Calvert at midnight.

It is time to go back to Baltimore ... I have nearly finished packing. I have somehow managed to get a week's worth of clothing into a luggage that was sold as a "weekender."

The executive level rooms were significantly more expensive, so I'm assuming I'll be lower down this time.

More pics from this trip, please Wolf.
Ideally menus and toilets :)

I have arrived in Baltimore, the trip was not without it's hitches, not the least of which was my ride to the SEPTA station was MrPlow, and we had snow last night. (My bigger fear was that SEPTA would be crippled by the snow and I'd never make it to 30th Street Station for the AMTRAK. But, about 15 phone calls and texts later, and I managed to get a ride. Everybody I know who doesn't work, or doesn't work Tuesdays was working. Go figure.

The friend who chose to take the train with me lost her Nook in the train station in Philadelphia and spent the ride down in tears, and was unable to reach anyone in 30th Street's lost and found to see if it had been turned in.

AMTRAK's customer service was quite nice in Baltimore, placed the call for her ... and it was turned in, so she'll be returning to the station to pick it up on Sunday.

I'll check back in later for some drunken posting. We're already going out with some Baltimore City firemen.