Philly… Day 3…and home again….

We loved Philadelphia….what a great town for walking…biking….and getting around….to the museums …the historical sites…downtown…you name it…

Easy transit with numerous buses…taxis…and the subway…street signs…posted with arrows…and maps …maybe these street signs will be seen shortly in LBTS?…

Never have we seen so many people use a park like the one in Rittenhouse Square…it was like watching a Monet painting in action…

At first we were caught off-guard by the amount of homeless people..sleeping in the park…staying in the park…but they are an “accepted” part of the framework it seems…for all around them were couples…families…groups…dogs…and park acts for dollars……total vitality…throughout each day…quite a sight….for an upscale…historical area…such as this….

Nightlife flows all around with an abundance of offerings…music…events….lots of variety…on every corner…

The Museums are first rate….and the view of the city from the entrance of the Art Museum….where Rocky ran up the stairs…is truly breathtaking…now there were some 1st rate Town Planners!….

The museum was glorious…for those who were there for the art…and those who are less appreciative of the art itself…….who are offered the incredible architecture of the museum itself and actual whole rooms from other countries and eras to see…..the furniture….the decorating….to experience that period in time……

Still depressing …somewhat disturbing is the plight of the homeless….who like the Rittenhouse Park “settlers”……seem to have made a “home” along the walls of the museums…a startling…disturbing view …and a photographic opportunity for some professional… to capture the weird dichotomy of seeing them behind the statues…

We had the chance to finally indulge in the renowned crab cakes….absolutely first rate …at a restaurant called Devon Seafood Grille in Rittenhouse square….

Final hour …it poured…but luckily we were just across the park from the hotel and spent the time watching a wedding reception….

Philadelphia Airport….like the stadium for baseball…makes ours look like nothing…easy…lots to choose from for food…and that proved a plus…for the flight an hour delay…..so what else is new?…

Definitely would return….great city…great time….great 4th….

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Philly Day 2…..

Timed tickets into Independence Hall….

The only thing that compares to being in the room where the Declaration of Independence was voted on…for this writer….was years back…. being on a cruise…going through the Panama Canal…..silent appreciation for what transpired…and being able to stand there all these years later….

A funny aside…a painting of the signers and the 3 who did not sign the Declaration…the painter was meticulous in making sure their faces were correct from old photos…except for one…no photos found of Jacob Broom…so he only painted his back…..right in the middle….leaning over the table….

on to the oldest House of Congress…..the 2nd one…the 1st was in New York….Congress downstairs…Senate upstairs….recreated all inside…with the exception of 26 original chairs…20 Congress/6 Senate….

The National Park Service really does a superb job ….here….www.nps.gov

Walked around Philly…..up and down the streets…. …saw the wonderful architecture….old and new….

Another funny aside…The Ben Franklin Hotel…… kept original in the lobby….now condos…with a restaurant in the lobby called Ben’s…..for fine Indian Cuisine!

Decided to take in another well known attraction….The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Mutter Museum…www.collphyphil.org

A disturbing…fascinating collection of artifacts from the past used for health care…and the freaks of nature that exists….over the top….

Took in the Philly/Mets game …9-4 Mets…a full stadium of 45 thousand…rabid fans from both teams…

And for the first time…rode the subway….just following all the red Philly shirts…there and back…quite fun!…

Last day today…

on to the Museum of Art…to do the “Rocky” run up the stairs ….and see the the beauties inside….

more to come…..

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The 4th in Philly….

began at Independence Hall……..a celebration in the park in front…including the Mayor…with the richness of history all around….quite awe inspiring…

Afterwards a brief look at the first court house …used for the Supreme Court Judges…who …we were informed did double duty at their inception….2 months a year…in that role ….February…and August…as our guide informed us…two of the most miserable months to be in Philadelphia….the other months they presided as well on lower court cases.. leading Chief Justice John Jay to quit after a few years…

A look at the Liberty Bell….gave a precursor to a major change in how history is taught these days……in equal parts….the history learned as a child….and African American…Women…..global….

Reminds this writer of a series on T.V. when the actors need an equal amount of lines…in the second season…

Same was found at the National Constitution Center….which was still well worth the admittance fee….www.constitutioncenter.org

3 things stood out…..from the usual…this day…

1. In the Constitution displayed at the exhibit…”chuse”…not “choose.”….misspelling….www.usconstitution.net

2.In the center there is a display of models of the 3 branches of government…with a computer generated “cartoon” of each branch….playing a 3 sided…teeter-totter….as it shows the “checks and balances”…it ends with this quote by James Madison in 1788…”Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.”….

3. This one’s for the “messenger”…and the M&M’s….

President Taft in 1909…”Debate, dissent, discussion and compromise are at the heart of American politics.”

“We the people are constitutionally guaranteed the right to voice our opinions, no matter how unpopular they may be.”…

Free Speech was tested….near the square….protesters were kept at bay…only allowed a certain “zone” per a Landmark case decided here in June…

This was in addition to a report we heard before our arrival…that Tour Guides….are now being required to pass a test….or they must remain silent….a court case has just been enacted….stemming from freedom of speech…once again…

According to the attorney…if the city wants to provide “tested and approved” Tour Guides….so be it…but to try and silence citizens from speaking on public grounds….no way…look for this to make a few headlines….

Did the Philly cheese steak required eating for lunch…. had our choice….every other restaurant is a Philly cheese steak vendor….in between…sushi…..and each cheese steak restaurant….was the winner for the best….on a certain year…. they all must get their turn…

Walking all around…great crowds….with 4 types of tours….walking….bus…trolley and the “Ride the Duck” that takes you in the Delaware River...www.phillyducks.com

On the advice of a friend…we took the duck….fun…..informative….and a good way to get to see the river…

fireworks….tonight….Zambelli….is there anyone else doing fireworks?….www.zambellifireworks.com

We may not have had the sand sculpture…but fitting for Philly….Cheese-it the crackers…made a sculpture of our Forefathers out of a chunk of cheddar that weighed a ton!

more to come….

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