Baltimore City - A Leisure Day 3/16/2015 & 11/7/2018

Personal Reflection – Baltimore City

         I have been to Baltimore City many times since two children’s piano competition days at Peabody Conservatory – from age 5 to age 17.  The majority of the contestants were American kids with Chinese, Jewish and Korean descents.  The average was one or two trips per year for Maryland State Music Teachers National Association spring festival. 

         After I-395, Baltimore’s skyline and smoke bellowed from its chimneys came into view.  Then we wounded around the impoverished stretch of neighborhood, shattered windows, buckling walls, the façade of faded red-brick row houses with old African American folks sitting on the dilapidated front porch or un-scrubbed white steps.  Finally we reached the destination of George Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, window closed tightly after escaping a few encounters of forced window washing from the African American kids at the intersection.  The children had already anticipated the nervousness for their competitions; this was something we did not want to experience in 1980s.

         So, it seemed to be so grand when you saw the historical music building in the heart of Baltimore City.  It was awe-inspiring to see all the names of the notable graduates and faculties carved in its marble walls.  You wish that your children’s names would be there one day if they were musically talent enough to be successful.  But each time driving up there was the emotional roller coaster rides among the two when they were growing up.  

       The memory became raw and fresh.  The white, blue, and red ribbons in their hands indicated the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place or the honorable mentioned were the combination of exhaustion, and pure elation at finishing the whole year’s hard work.  It marked the emotional end and a fantastic sense of achievement.  They asked for not touching the piano for a week as a reward.  That’s 7- 14 hours’ practice time.  I said, ‘Yes.”  However, there were times, sulky faces, emotionally defeated from being beaten by other children.  They held nothing in their hands except the contest program, which they wrote the comments for each of the contestants.  Technical skills - fair, emotional communication – not there, body movement – too rigid, need more… painful to wait etc.

         They pleaded us to rid the piano at the garage sale.  Their bottled-up anger reached up to the full scales.  Still, they asked for not touching the piano for a week.   I said, ‘Yes.”  We, stubborn, over-achieving Asian Parents would not allow them to quit until they were 17-years old when I totally lost the battle for asking them to play due to too many extra curriculums – Chinese class, soccer, tennis school teams, math, Spanish clubs and volunteering jobs in the hospital etc.  

         Am I one of those strict tiger mothers?  Maybe.  Did I keep my promise that they could quit after reaching to the number 1?   No!  I told them, “Winning is not everything, but the will to win is!”  I raised the bar another notch higher while adjusting constantly during their growing up periods.   They probably hated me to be their Chinese School teacher; mother, I am not sure.  But, I have no regrets.          

         Did they learn anything from those years of driving down I-495 to City of Baltimore?  I hope they did.  I wanted them to recognize their talents and accept the limitations.  Mistakes, nerves and humility are all parts of learning process not only in piano, but also in every experience that will come in their lives.

Leisure Sightseeing Day

         Now, it’s March 16, 2015, the day before St. Patrick’s Day – still quite chilly.  After such a cold and snowy winter, we were looking forward to warmer days.  I visited the city again as a retiree and a senior grandmother this time.  No longer that harrowing experience as a “tiger mother” but a tourist to enjoy the “touristy” thing the city has to offer.

Baltimore Harbor

         Baltimore is a busy port.  I often see the large naval ships dock there along with the whole fleet of vessels, luxury yachts on the dry docks and ship building platform.  It’s an amazing sight! 

Dogs and Retired People

         Loneliness can become an unwelcome companion, as we get older either for the young generation or the old folks like us who have passed that stage.  What are the best companions then?   The dogs!   See Mimi’s English bulldog and the pet friends at her son’s neighborhood park – the condo Canton Cove is in the backdrop.

Senior retirees –  Jen-Jen, Mimi and Janice.

Water Taxi

         This is the best-kept secret that only Mimi, the local Baltimore and Canton residents knows.  It’s free!  Unheard of in America!  There isn’t anything free here!  She owns a Baltimore condo - Scarlett’s place – Yes, it’s Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, and her son’s – Canton Cove in Canton.  Right behind the Canton Waterfront Park in the picture. 

         We saw the day commuters, with the handheld computers or mobile devices ignoring everything around them.  I watched reminiscing of my children’s piano days and how they are the generation from future.  We, the senior folks would one day be totally obliterated from their memories.

Water Taxi Map – The dotted lines between Canton Waterfront Park to Locust Point and Maritime Park are free.  

Frederick Douglass and Issac Myers Maritime Park and Museum

         It seemed to be a beautiful landmark off the water.  The Living Classrooms Foundation was closed when we were there.  It will be one of my future outings with my grandson. 

       I learned bits and pieces from my children’s book.  Frederick Douglas, was born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and lived at Fell’s Point when he was eight years old.  The lesson learned from his powerful remarks on the inveterate hatred and unjust prejudice towards the colored should pass on to the next generation.  I often wonder when will the conflict between the ethnic groups and racial bias end?   I do hope that there will be a perfect Utopia exists somewhere.  So we can embrace all religions, all races to live peacefully without any fight.  I do not know much about Issac Myers, who must have some contribution in the shipping industry in Baltimore.

Cal Ripken Jr. – Baltimore Orioles’ legend  

Michael Phelps – an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time.

         Both are local celebrities in Baltimore.  We were waiting at the dock for our water taxi and enjoying the free ride from the City of Baltimore. 

Picasa Links:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112480790564624696310/March27201502?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMvbiN7KhM3_vgE&feat=directlink

Mimi, Betty, Her Big Sister and I made another trip again three years later.  This time was attending
Taipei Chinese Orchestra concert at Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute.  Thanks Betty's driving to take us there.  She is an excellent driver navigating effortlessly in downtown Baltimore. 

We revisited Mimi's son house which had been sold ever since three years ago.  However, Mimi was still reminiscing the good old times with enjoyment.  The only thing we missed was riding the water taxi which just left us once we got there.  Oh, well, there's always next time.

We had Happy Hour dining at Bo-Brooks restaurant.

The delicious seafood with Maryland's crab cakes, shrimps and calamari were their famous dishes.