Month: April 2022

Last Updated on 04/24/2025 by kd-admin

Baltimore is one of the most recognizable cities in the USA and is most known for serving as the background city for many crime and drama movies. This adds to its charm since it is one of the best vacation places. KDElite will be glad to help you get to and from this beautiful city, and in this article, we will list some reasons to make this your next place to go.

Places to visit

National Aquarium

This is one of the most extensive aquariums in the world. It is located in the Inner Harbor. Go to Pier 3, where you can find over 750 different kinds of fish and other sea animals. There is sea life from all over the world here, and you can also see many interactive exhibits of different places. The staff will be happy to guide you all over the Aquarium. This is the best place to visit if you take your children.

Inner Harbor

The Inner Harbor can be considered the centerpiece of this city, and it is the favorite place for the citizens of Baltimore. The Aquarium is located there, as well as lots of other attractions. Many stores and interests can be found in this place. You can even watch a real cannon get fired if you are there at the right time.

Ravens and Orioles Games

Watching a professional game in real life can be a fantastic experience, so it is advised to watch a baseball or football session while in Baltimore. Camden Yards is the best place, and the tickets are not too expensive.

It may be a good idea to buy the tickets a while before you go there, because this is a very famous game, and many people will be trying to come there.

Walters Art Museum

This place gives you a one-of-a-kind experience of all world art in one place. You can see things from Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, and many other cultures in one place. There are also lots of Medieval exhibits there and lots of collections of Renaissance art. This is a place to visit if you love history.

These collections have been amassed for over two centuries, and this museum remains one of the world’s best free museums.

Babe Ruth Museum

This is a place for sports fans, and here, you will see lots of baseball exhibits. Please plan to visit it after seeing the Oreole and Raven games.

George Peabody Library

Libraries are always on the list for sightseeing, and this grand library in Baltimore is no exception. You will be able to enjoy lots of rare books here. However, this is only one of the reasons to visit it. The building is so majestic that people see it just for the architecture.

With five tall floors, this building is enormous, and over 300 thousand historic books are stored inside, many of which are rare.

Fell’s Point

This is the place to go if you want to see more of Baltimore. While the Inner Harbor is beautiful, it is geared towards tourists, and if you want to see more local scenes, visit Fell’s Point. Some people find the city charming, and if that is the case with you, this place should be on your to-do list.

Green Mount Cemetery

Visiting a cemetery might seem strange, but it is pretty worth it since many of the USA’s most notable people were buried here.

Edgar Allen Poe’s House

Visiting the home of one of the most famous writers in the world is undoubtedly a thing to do if you are traveling to Baltimore. You can tour the building where he lived, and you will also be able to see lots of exhibits of his writing there. There are also artifacts from when he lived, so you can see what daily life was like then.

Fort McHenry

This is primarily a war museum, and it covers all the history of the War of 1812. This fortress successfully defended Baltimore from the British army. The USA’s national Anthem mentions this fort. It is listed as a Historic Shrine and is open for anyone to visit.

What to Eat and Drink

Traveling somewhere always involves going to restaurants, so here is a list of places to visit and eat.

Eat Blue Crab

While this is a rare delicacy in other states, it is plentiful here, and you can enjoy lots of it here. Most importantly, it is fresh and caught in the wild. Faidley’s serves the best blue crab and is located in the Lexington Market area. Lexington Market is also a place you should visit if you love eating well. All the food there is seasoned with Old Bay spice, perfect for any seafood.

Crab Cakes

This is another way to enjoy fresh crab, both the blue variety and other kinds. Most people prefer to have crab cakes. The authentic Chesapeake crab cakes can be found here, and nowhere else, so this is a must-have if you are traveling to Baltimore.

Natty Boh

The National Bohemian beer is another defining feature of Baltimore. It has been brewed here since 1885, and this is one of the things you must try while visiting. It is perfect for drinking with crab or anything seasoned with Old Bay spice.

Attman’s Deli

You will need to eat plenty if you tour Baltimore on foot, so you should visit Altman’s—plenty of snacks and meals here, like Coddies, sandwiches, and salted cod. There are many local delicacies to try here.

The Horse You Came in On Saloon

This place is believed to be the last place Edgar Allen Poe visited. Also, he saw this bar many times before, all through his life. It is notable for being the only bar in Baltimore to stay open during the Prohibition, making it the city’s most defiant place. It embodies the overall rebellious and fierce attitude of this city. It is also the oldest bar, opening in 1775.

Hotels

There are lots of hotels to choose from in the Baltimore area. Gorgeous House, next to JHU, is the best place to stop, according to many visitors in Baltimore. However, many others have mentioned En Suite in Fell’s Point. Midtown Inn is also an excellent place to stay. They are not too expensive, and their service is pretty good. But most importantly, all of Baltimore’s best sights are directly accessible from them.

Last Updated on 04/24/2025 by kd-admin

The beginning of the coronavirus pandemic brought about a crisis, which caused thousands of laborers aboard ships to become stuck. They could not leave their boats, while other sailors could not come aboard the ships they were supposed to work on. Over 400 thousand people were stuck in one way or another at the peak of this crisis, and even in May 2021, there were 200 thousand people still unable to be repatriated. Even today, this problem has not been fully resolved, and many people are still unable to leave their ships.

Why is this crisis significant?

Over 90% of all world trade is done by ships. Almost all raw materials and finished goods are shipped by sea. Over 1.6 million people are working on boats today, and they run the world economy by transporting oil, lumber, food, and other vital resources. Most seafarers are from China, Indonesia, Russia, and others.

Why did this happen?

After the pandemic, most countries limited all travel to keep their population from contracting the virus. To this end, they restricted all access to the ports and airports for citizens of other countries. Because of this, loading and unloading goods was possible, but the ships’ crews had to stay onboard. This caused them to overwork and remain aboard the boat longer than their contract allowed. Usually, they never stay aboard a ship for over six months, and international conventions prohibit visiting for over 11 months.

 

Why is it a human rights issue?

Crew changes are crucial because people cannot be stuck on a ship for long. It isn’t good for their mental and physical health. Also, the crew at sea will often work 10-12 hours and seven days per week without rest.

Sailors stuck aboard their ships report having such adverse effects as anxiety and stress, both mental and physical. The most painful thing is homesickness. Some people were trapped aboard their ships for over a year, which is unacceptable. This is a violation of human rights. IHRB has said that crew change is one of the most important things to do in 2021, as it is one of the most extreme human rights issues.

What are the challenges involved in resolving the crisis?

Arranging a crew change in the current situation with coronavirus is a challenge. Alternative transportation must be found to move the crew off the ship. Visas must be made, and flights via unrestricted airlines must be organized. Since the coronavirus restrictions have caused many airlines to be limited, this will also be more difficult to do, and most require people to be vaccinated or tested for coronavirus.

Ships may even have to deviate from their courses to help the sailors get home. This costs time and money, and many documents must be signed. This is why crew change has become so much of a challenge.

What are governments doing?

Maritime Labour Convention says it is illegal to make people stay aboard for over 11 months, and reminding governments of this is the primary way of solving the crew change problem. Processes of exchanging crews have already been put in effect this way, but many more people remain stuck aboard their ships, being unable to land or return home.

The UN Secretary-General has alerted governments that these seafarers are vital workers – the world economy relies on them to stay supplied with resources and goods. Seafarers require medical care and protection of their human rights. The Secretary-General called governments to make exclusions for seafarers to ensure ship crew changes. Sailors must be given priority since they are vital workers and must be given ways to get home. Also, the UN agencies have stated that seafarers must be prioritized for vaccination so they will no longer be at risk of coronavirus infection.

What about businesses?

Many organizations, including the International Human Rights organization, have been pushing businesses to do more to alleviate the crisis and help the crews of their ships get to safety. Companies that hire people are directly responsible for ensuring their rights are respected. Businesses that run maritime industries can and should ensure that their workers are cared for.

There are limitations, of course. There are crew change laws implemented that limit crew changes. A crew change cannot occur while the cargo is aboard the ship. These laws can restrict sailors’ rights and lessen their protection. Some businesses do this, even though it is unlawful.

Therefore, companies and organizations interested in protecting the rights of sailors and seafarers must take action and alert governments to these problems with human rights.