Another city, another day...

From its history as a hub of the Atlantic slave trade,to its reputation as one of the toughest cities in the US, Baltimore has a charm that is all its own.A city near the ocean has a quality that cannot be found in those landlocked places.Without much effort it becomes a place of multiplicity, through necessity and sometimes by its own choice, with the smell and feel of the ocean never too far away. Its not a picture perfect city- not even its fancy tourist areas;there's always a sense of something hiding just beneath the surface of the glass veneer of the Inner Harbour area with its posh restaurants and stylish people.

Since its premier in 2002, the acclaimed TV show "The Wire" presented a view of the city that revealed not only what's behind the shiny veneer but also a testament to the power of popular culture in transforming the very soul of a city.The debilitating drug wars between East Baltimore and West Baltimore gangs and the moral,ethical implications of the actions of those who are in authority provide the backdrop for the stories of the individuals you meet.Forget the show's claim to fame, it is simply a good story told with skill and dedication.It's power to draw in an audience, even if you don't necessarily favour the dubious characters is enough testament to its genius.Thus, the show has transformed the city into one that has become a part of popular culture- an icon almost. It's a city of tough lives,tough people and tough love.

But what of the real city? The one that continues to live,even after the show ended in 2008...the city where the sign of the Domino sugar factory dominates the view from the posh restaurants on the water's edge,the city where ships,yachts,boats come and go everyday,the city where the Inner Harbour area caters to a different kind of traveler,a more superficial one....

It makes you wonder,if the "real" city even exists and if what is seen on TV IS reality.Does the city and its people define itself or is it simply defined by the production and direction of media.Where does reality end and fiction begin? In Baltimore,sometimes you are not so sure...