Baltimore: A City in Monochrome and Color! 🌆

Most of my days in Baltimore were spent wandering between the Inner Harbor and Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus. The harbor became my sanctuary for morning and evening strolls. At dusk, sitting on a bench by the docks, feeling the cool sea breeze, watching wild ducks and pigeons flutter about, listening to the murky waves lap against the shore—there’s a strange familiarity in those moments. For a while, Baltimore doesn’t feel like the uneasy city it’s often made out to be. JHU’s School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health are among the nation’s best. The campus itself is stunning, a true urban oasis. I visited two art museums: 🎨 Baltimore Museum of Art (on JHU’s campus) – Home to Matisse, Picasso, and other Impressionist masters. The sculpture garden is also worth a peek. 🏛 The Walters Art Museum (downtown, near the Washington Monument) – A treasure trove of art from ancient Egypt to modern times. Baltimore is also the resting place of Edgar Allan Poe, the poet and master of macabre. Visiting his grave and former home felt surreal—like stepping into one of his dark, lyrical tales. His "To Helen" is hauntingly beautiful, but like much of his work, it blooms from decay. And of course, you can’t leave without eating blue crab! 🦀 My daily ritual included: Crab burgers (ubiquitous on menus) Phillips Seafood’s crab cakes (Inner Harbor classic) Miss Shirley’s crab hash (brunch perfection) Cheesecake Factory’s fried bread with crab dip (forgot the name, but unforgettable flavor!) Original cheesecake (because… obviously) For lodging, I tried a few mid-range hotels. My top pick? Hyatt Place Inner Harbor – sleek, modern rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious work desk facing the view. Perfect for studying or just soaking in the city. Breakfast was basic (coffee, toast, bacon, eggs, cereal), but it did the job. #Baltimore #JohnsHopkins #USA #TravelDiaries