When I re-structured my goal list, I decided I wanted to go to the top floor of Baltimore’s tallest building. I had planned to go a couple times, but it was always foggy out. The third time I left my house to go and it was still foggy, I decided to take it as a sign and just go with sub-sunny conditions.

The tallest building in Baltimore is the Transamerica Tower on Light Street. It’s not very special looking, and is only 40 stories. (We’re not really all about skyscrapers in Charm City.) Nevertheless, I parked my car and walked over. In the lobby, I explained to the man working behind the desk that I wanted to go to the top floor. He laughed at me and said that “this is a business building”, and that’s not something I could do. He suggested that I go to the World Trade Center building on Pratt Street, which is comparably tall. So I did.

I’ve always known that they had an observatory in that building, but for some reason never went to visit it. That was clearly a mistake, because as soon as I got off the elevator on the 27th floor, I saw the most beautiful 360 degree view of my favorite city. It was remarkable! I kept thinking, “How have I never done this before?!”

touristy restaurants and in the distance is Fells Point

you can see the fountain I left my bright ideas light bulbs in front of

I know most people don’t think much about Baltimore. We’re not super fancy, and the most you know about us is probably from either “The Wire” or “Hairspray”, but I continue to love this city with my whole heart. Yes, the views of downtown are probably more impressive. They put the harbor, stadiums, and aquarium on postcards, and the tall buildings in the Inner Harbor create a beautiful city line, but the views I really stopped to look at were the clumps of neighborhoods that I feel truly exemplify the heart of this city. The streets where I’ve sang my heart out, had life-altering interactions with strangers, or seen people sitting on their stoops the way you would have expected them to in the 60’s.

the weird shaped building is the National Aquarium

Federal Hill, where we did the Human Rainbow photoshoot

you can see the Transamerica building

in the foreground is the Science Center and in the distance you can see I-95

the Inner Harbor

“Baltimore Sun” by the Jayhawks
Hopefully you enjoy seeing Baltimore from this angle.