Must admit the afternoon I arrived I was shattered and decided to eat in the hotel and plan my next day.
Liberty bell was a must so had my breakfast, picked up a breakfast to go (lunch) and set off for a viewing. Decidedly cooler in Philly down to about 75. Lovely. Only half a mile. Had to queue for a short while and when I got in there had my bag searched and had to full twirl! Quite funny seeing everyone doing that.
It had a massive viewing hall with much information and it's clear how this bell has become so important to the American people over the years. In the fight for women's votes, obviously the slave abolition
and the treatment of the Native Americans.
The bell itself sits at the end of the long information hall and it took me a while to get a photograph of it as many wanted to have their photograph standing against it!
As I came out the museum and walked around the corner the police!
and these park rangers were all over the place, with guns!
Anyway, I had a lot to see in my last two days, but where? Had fallen asleep while planning my schedule the night before! I had though decided not to go on a bus trip and set off towards the Delaware River, just down the road. Well I got accosted by a hop on hop off guide and before I knew where I was I was on top of the bus. The only thing with being on the top you have to keep ducking your head or else you get whipped by the overhanging branches. Glad I did though our guide was excellent and talked at such a speed, to fit everything in I guess
We didn't go down this street it's so tiny, the houses are no more than 16 feet wide.
Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
Forgetting about the river as we had driven past and it didn't look very exciting, although apparently a lot goes on there in the summer, decided it was lunch time, again, ( I had already eaten the breakfast to go) so decided to give the Reading Terminal Market a try. It is a huge indoor market, with I don't know how many restaurants and shops in it.
I could have had my shoes shined but as I was wearing my suede walking sandals decided to give it a miss!
Smuckers is the name of the leading family in Intercourse, (lots of Amish shops in the market) who own pretty much of Bird-in- Hand and the Motel I stayed in at Intercourse.
Decisions, decisions, but as I was deciding what to have I was drawn towards the sound of a piano being playing. I chose my Pretzel jumbo cheese dog. I didn't really fancy it but decided I had to try something very American! Actually it wasn't that jumbo but it was delicious. Just a hot dog sausage covered in a thin pastry and when bitten into it had a delicious runny cheese!
Went and sat where the piano player was and happily sat listening to him.
I wasn't going to put this in the blog but I still can't get over it. Telepathy or what! He sat playing about and deciding what he was going to play next and I had been thinking I would ask him to play Satin Doll which is a big jazzy favourite tune of mine and that's exactly what he did. (Without me asking!). Have to admit I've heard it played better but good never the less. Going to try this wave sending again!
The architecture in Philly is a real jumbled mix. Beautiful old buildings, some horrible modern buildings which don't necessarily go together.. But I like sculptures, meaningful or whacky! The clothes spin.
Been there since 1976. Supposed to depict "The Kiss" by Constantin Beancusi, which is in Philadelphia Museum of Art, which I didn't get to.
All those steps!
The 13 Whispering Bells
In honour of Christus Attucks who on March 5th 1770 was killed by British troops in Boston while protecting conditions under the crown.
These whisperings grew into the crescendo of the Declaration of Independance and the first ringing of the Liberty Bell in Independance Hall.
Little known about Christus Attucks, but was probably a slave or freeman.
I noticed that when we drove down Benjamin Parkway there were the flags of I suppose all the countries. A very nice touch.
This parkway is a mile long road obviously with parks all the way down. Also the museums and a huge Free library. It cuts straight across city.
For a road it is very attractive, but one of the worst I have crossed in America. (Did that the next day) Normally there are the hands stopping you and the white go but here there are five (some of them four laned) roads converging, and it does remind you of the Champs Élysées, not quite as bad, and some have the normal signals and some have traffic lights and you stand there totally mesmerised ! Are the traffic lights for me, now which side of the road are the cars coming from, where are they going, is this a one way street and so on. I stood so long on one corner that a waiting car driver pipped at me and waved me over, leaned out of his car and said, it is a bit confusing isn't it? For me, who is a bit prone to just stepping off the curb and following the locals when the sign is on red, Yes it was!
I noticed this place at the bottom of 12th which was a five minute walk from hotel, so mentally took note of that for the evening meal!
Favourite place of daughter number two and myself when travelling together shortly after Alan died. We decided we would visit as many as we could. Well Carly, sat and listed the ones I've been in whilst waiting for my meal that evening and that was my 8th. 4 with you.
Always have the ribs with country style beans, fries and coleslaw. Was a bit disappointed with this one, they put peppers in the beans. Oh no, couldn't eat them. Another mental note, ask Virginia for the recipe of the beans at her celebration!
I thought I was in luck because a band was setting up and I thought I would have live music. Then they disappeared for ages so I bought a coffee so I might still be there when they started. It turned out to be different bands playing one song each and they weren't very good, so drank the coffee I didn't really want, bill paid, and off back to the hotel and because I had to walk under the convention centre and it was a bit empty and dark walked an extra block to get round it!
The telly was much better!
More interesting places to see. More food to eat .... Looks like you are having a great time
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