Shortly after my arrival this afternoon we left the Hyatt and crossed through Inner Harbor, making our way to the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House.

Although a part of me felt hesitant about leaving such an incredible room – see video on Facebook – the weather was imitating spring and it felt like a different time of year, the flowers bright in the beds that sit around the harbor, yellow and purple and white.

Mary Pickersgill sewed two flags in 1813 under government contract – they told her they wanted one of them large enough so that the British “couldn’t miss it” as they approached the city of Baltimore and Fort McHenry (which I will see tomorrow).

The flag ended up being 30 by 42 feet, which I didn’t really appreciate until I stood in front of the full-size glass replica. Each stripe is 2-foot in width.

I’ve already learned a lot about the War of 1812, but I’m going to withhold comment until after the next two days. There’s still much perspective to be gained, and I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it yet.

Although I am pretty sure Mary’s fingers fell off after this project: