Surprises in Philly
This year was a big year for a very important year for someone special in my life. To celebrate, we took a trip. I told him that we could go anywhere in the states he wanted to go. He picked Philadelphia. He said it was the rich history. I think it was the Phillies baseball team. Well, we enjoyed both!
It was the perfect time of year to go. The weather was in the high 70s-low 80s as the high. The tourist crowds were thin. The extended summer hours were in effect. Good timing.
I let my special guy plan the trip. It was the first trip he'd ever planned. I got him the DK travel guide and set him up for my typical planning madness. I booked airfare and hotel. The thing is....Philadelphia was never really on my travel list. I'll go anywhere, believe me, but I didn't know much about Philly past the Liberty Bell. Was the city still vibrant, or was it deteriorating? Was the public transportation effective and well-maintained? How safe was it?
When I got there, all of my questions were answered. It was a very comfortable, very reasonably priced, very well-maintained city. It had statues, murals, and memorials at every turn. The historical significance of this town was enough to make me think the whole trip.
Since Mr. F was planning the whole trip, I went in blind....almost. I did read a travel magazine on the way in.
In my typical travel fashion, when I have time, the first stop is the visitors' center. I was getting there ahead of time, so I gathered some brochures for places I knew he wanted to go. I also booked a special surprise: a night tour of the city. These tours are always a great way to get the lay of the land and learn some trivial tidbits. I like to do a night tour or ghost tour to best use my time. They are usually less expensive too. They are especially useful on short trips. In the day time you want to see the sites, but at night when everything is closed, a good use of time is a tour.
I walked around the town that evening with Mr. K, grabbing dinner at Monk's Cafe. I got a good idea of the area and surroundings. I was ready to cram as much as I could into this short trip, and I did! The next morning, with all of us together at last, we officially started our trip. We were moving every second. From 8 A.M. to 9 P.M. we were doing something. Eating, seeing, enjoying.
I was really amazed at how much Philly has to offer. The guides at the historic sites are top notch. They keep it interesting and informative. They gave us facts that kept us talking all trip. We pushed on when we were tired. We used the Phillies-Marlins game as a way to relax after a long walk for the perfect Philly Cheesesteak and before a walk out to Penn's Landing. Instead of heading back to the room most nights, we tried to cram one more sight in (inevitably seeing a few more along the way).
It was productive, it was fun, it was a learning experience. We have the pictures to prove it.
One little trick that helps me absorb my fast-paced trips is a favorites game. What was your favorite part of yesterday? What was your favorite part of today so far? What was the best thing you've learned? No better time to enjoy your trip than when you're on it!
My favorites....
The perfect Philly Cheesesteak at Geno's Steaks. Four simple ingredients, done so right. Onions caramelized to perfection. The bread was firm enough to prevent sogginess while still being chewy and soft. The meat was so tender and flavorful. The cheez whiz....yes cheez whiz....added a balance with the meat and complemented the sweetness of the onion. Couldn't have it any other way.
Independence Hall was more interesting than expected. It made me respect the Founding Fathers decision in a way I didn't know I could. It made me really think about our freedoms and what it had taken to get them. Ranger Gus Rylander was extremely knowledgeable about the historic site and American history in general. He was answering any and all questions.
The night tour was fun, even in the rain. I had pictures of most of the sights from earlier in the day, so it was perfect to sit down and hear the stories about areas I saw and learn about areas I had yet to see. The guide was entertaining and informative.
Random Facts:
It was the perfect time of year to go. The weather was in the high 70s-low 80s as the high. The tourist crowds were thin. The extended summer hours were in effect. Good timing.
I let my special guy plan the trip. It was the first trip he'd ever planned. I got him the DK travel guide and set him up for my typical planning madness. I booked airfare and hotel. The thing is....Philadelphia was never really on my travel list. I'll go anywhere, believe me, but I didn't know much about Philly past the Liberty Bell. Was the city still vibrant, or was it deteriorating? Was the public transportation effective and well-maintained? How safe was it?
When I got there, all of my questions were answered. It was a very comfortable, very reasonably priced, very well-maintained city. It had statues, murals, and memorials at every turn. The historical significance of this town was enough to make me think the whole trip.
Since Mr. F was planning the whole trip, I went in blind....almost. I did read a travel magazine on the way in.
In my typical travel fashion, when I have time, the first stop is the visitors' center. I was getting there ahead of time, so I gathered some brochures for places I knew he wanted to go. I also booked a special surprise: a night tour of the city. These tours are always a great way to get the lay of the land and learn some trivial tidbits. I like to do a night tour or ghost tour to best use my time. They are usually less expensive too. They are especially useful on short trips. In the day time you want to see the sites, but at night when everything is closed, a good use of time is a tour.
I walked around the town that evening with Mr. K, grabbing dinner at Monk's Cafe. I got a good idea of the area and surroundings. I was ready to cram as much as I could into this short trip, and I did! The next morning, with all of us together at last, we officially started our trip. We were moving every second. From 8 A.M. to 9 P.M. we were doing something. Eating, seeing, enjoying.
I was really amazed at how much Philly has to offer. The guides at the historic sites are top notch. They keep it interesting and informative. They gave us facts that kept us talking all trip. We pushed on when we were tired. We used the Phillies-Marlins game as a way to relax after a long walk for the perfect Philly Cheesesteak and before a walk out to Penn's Landing. Instead of heading back to the room most nights, we tried to cram one more sight in (inevitably seeing a few more along the way).
It was productive, it was fun, it was a learning experience. We have the pictures to prove it.
One little trick that helps me absorb my fast-paced trips is a favorites game. What was your favorite part of yesterday? What was your favorite part of today so far? What was the best thing you've learned? No better time to enjoy your trip than when you're on it!
The perfect Philly Cheesesteak at Geno's Steaks. Four simple ingredients, done so right. Onions caramelized to perfection. The bread was firm enough to prevent sogginess while still being chewy and soft. The meat was so tender and flavorful. The cheez whiz....yes cheez whiz....added a balance with the meat and complemented the sweetness of the onion. Couldn't have it any other way.
Independence Hall was more interesting than expected. It made me respect the Founding Fathers decision in a way I didn't know I could. It made me really think about our freedoms and what it had taken to get them. Ranger Gus Rylander was extremely knowledgeable about the historic site and American history in general. He was answering any and all questions.
The night tour was fun, even in the rain. I had pictures of most of the sights from earlier in the day, so it was perfect to sit down and hear the stories about areas I saw and learn about areas I had yet to see. The guide was entertaining and informative.
Random Facts:
- Did you know that Ben Franklin requested the recipe for tofu and shared it in 1770?
- Early surgeries (read amputations) offered three types of anesthesia: drinking whiskey until you passed out, smoking opium until you passed out, or getting hit on the back of the head with a mallet until you passed out. Which would you choose?
- Free Quakers are Quakers who were compelled to bare arms during the revolution. They were expelled from the Philadelphia Meeting of Friends because of this decision.
- Did you realize that the steps Rocky Balboa ran up in the training sequence of the first movie was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art? I wonder how many visitors they get based on the steps and the Rocky statue at the foot of the stairs.
- The silver stars you see on some buildings indicate that the building has been reinforced against earthquake damage (stars are the ends of the beams).
Google is a powerful tool for information about this wonderful city. Some other good resources are listed below:
- History of the Free Quakers: http://www.qhpress.org/quakerpages/qwhp/freequakers02.htm
- Geno's Steaks: http://www.genosteaks.com/
- National Parks Service Historic Site References: http://www.nps.gov/inde/index.htm
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