Visiting tourist sites in Maryland

Laurie had multiple roles as our hostess in Maryland. She was Seeing Eye Daughter, tour guide and did a great job as chauffeur in the six lane traffic.

One of the most interesting visits was to the grave of F. Scott Fitzgerald in the graveyard of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Concrete covering his grave had coins, pens and marking pens left by visitors. It was in the family plot beside interesting large, old headstones. It was evening and we were sorry not to go into the church founded in 1813. It now overlooks busy Veirs Mill Road in Rockville.

We visited the visitor center of the Washington, D.C. Mormon Tabernacle in Kensington. The imposing 60,000-square-foot tabernacle, covered with Alabama white marble, had six spires, with tallest measuring 288 feet tall. Lunch in Annapolis was fun, but we did not visit the Naval Academy due to lack of time.

It was a short distance to the Union Station in Washington, D.C. another day. We started our five-hour bus tour there. Stops included Arlington Cemetery, where a funeral procession was just leaving. Bus narrators were interesting, with history of the many sites well presented, and stops long enough to take photos. They brought famous historical and modern sites to life and held our interest.

We did get off the bus at the stop in front of the theater where Lincoln was shot. Both of my Seeing Eye Daughters were hungry. A tiny Waffle Shop was only close eating place. First on their menu was a waffle with a chicken wing. We later learned from Laurie’s two friends the waffle is served with cream gravy and shredded chicken in their homes.

Dinner at a Jewish deli in Silver Spring was delicious and interesting. There was a pickle bar — not a salad bar — with items ranging from sauerkraut to pickled beets.

Laurie amazed us again with her driving when she took us to Baltimore to board United flight for Billings. The airport was fascinating, with displays ranging from photos to a Pan American Clipper.

Janet became Seeing Eye Daughter the next day when we met the Townsends in Miles City to take me to Baker. It was an interesting week. There with many changes since my last visit. Huge black tanks had been placed for oil storage. There are 30 or 40 new apartments, including one built by the school district for teachers. Oil workers are living in Baker and driving to oil fields.

Janet and I had traditional lunch in my favorite little town, Ekalaka; new post office, large fire bell tower were among new additions since I was last there.

Dinner in a modern cafe in an old building in Marmarth, N.D., was last night event. It is a old railroad town with large dormitory used in the past for railroad workers still maintained. We saw about a dozen turkey vultures, apparently also called buzzards, perched in high branches of several trees.

Next car trip was to Wolf Point to board Amtrak for day’s ride to Whitefish. Gail met the train and resumed her Seeing Eye Daughter duties.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.