October 24, 2003

Road Trip - Day 20: Historic Philadelphia

We didn't do much yesterday--just traveled from NYC to Philladelphia and got settled in our new hotel room. The room is great, by the way. We have a two-room suite on the campus of Temple University. Unfortunately, the parking situation is not so good. Joel had to park the van a few blocks away. And although the area right around the university is good, it is surrounded by ghetto.... (Not so good!)

However, the restaurant situation is very convenient here on campus, so food is not a problem at all.

We went exploring Philadelphia today. We got a late start 'cause I've still not been feeling well. (If I didn't know better I'd think I was pregnant! Feels much like morning sickness...blech.) Anyway, it was noon before we walked to the bus stop to catch a city bus into historic Philadelphia. We had heard public transportation here was really good, so we were a bit surprised first of all to have to wait 20 minutes or more to catch the bus, and second, to be crammed in the bus like a can of sardines. Fortunately, people here have been really nice so far, with the exception of one older gentleman on the bus today that chastised Jenna for sitting in the handicap seat. (She didn't know!, and Joel and I weren't paying attention to where she was sitting. We were just happy she had a seat and didn't have to stand up and hold on.) So I guess that whole "City of Brotherly Love" stuff is for real!

Philly is drenched with history, as we had expected, though the city itself is not as nicely kept as Boston was. The first thing we did was grab some lunch when we arrived in the historic section. (We had to have a Philly cheese/steak sandwich, of course!) Then we walked around the corner to see the Liberty Bell. Because of threats received on the Bell a couple of years ago, tight security has been maintained for both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. So it took probably 45 minutes or so to get through the security check before seeing the bell. There was lots of information in the exhibit about the bell and those for whom it has been a symbol of freedom throughout history. We were surprised to learn that after the Civil War the bell was taken through the country as a way to reunify the country and to inspire patriotism in America again. It was also a significant symbol for the women's suffrage movement and the civil rights movement of the '60's. And it has even become an important symbol of freedom around the world.

We were also surprised to learn how fragile the bell is. We were told if it were to be rung even one more time it would split in two and possibly shatter.

We had planned to go through Independence Hall after seeing the bell, but we were too late. Because of the security process being so long, they had already stopped giving out tickets for today. So the plan is to go back there to do that tomorrow.

We spent the next couple of hours walking through the historic district seeing the first bank of America, Betsy Ross' house, Benjamin Franklin's grave, the Delaware River, a statue dedicated to the suffering of the Irish immigrants, and several other historic buildings. It was pretty chilly still this afternoon, so we were thrilled to spot a Starbucks where the kids and Joel had a hot chocolate and I enjoyed a white chocolate mocha... (Ro turned me onto those the day we took the Freedom Tour in Boston! Very yummy!)

Because we were going to see so much history today, the kids had a lighter load of schoolwork. But they will be expected to write about the things they saw today. We are a little behind in our reading, but hopefully we'll get caught up over the next few days.

Left: Zach and Jenna at Penn's Landing alongside the Delaware River