But this is a good thing. Why must all they buildings we inhabit be shiny and new? Why can't they be old, crooked, and a bit decrepit? Indeed, this sense of history, and the pungent smell of salt water had me thinking of H. P. Lovecraft. It was so easy to imagine that streets like these were the model for Lovecraft's Innsmouth.
True, the Innsmouth of 1927 would not have the nicely renovated shops (I guess it's Innsmouth today). But the serious point is, the fact that Lovecraft live on the Eastern Seaboard shaped his stories. Lovecraft did not so much create places like Innsmouth as write about places that actually existed.
His writing has such a sense of place. It was a pleasure it breath the salty air that so inspired him. And it inspired me to create a strong sense of place in my own writing by looking out my window and finding the Mythos creatures in Detroit. Maybe someday, if the stars are right, people will refer to Guthat Country as they refer Lovecraft Country. Ok, Guthat Country doesn't sound as cool, but I think you get the point...
P.S. I'm sorry about the poor picture of Fells Point. I took it with my Camera phone. I did take some with my much better digital camera but don't have a way to get them off my card. Once I'm back home I'll upload much better pics.