Philly Day 3: LAST DAY HERE!
So I told y'all I'd let you know of our dinner plans last night. We ended up going to Chinatown and having Chinese which was FANTASTIC actually. It genuinely surprised me, haha. Me and Dr. Davis thought with a group this large someone was bound to get sick...but no one did! Yay! Then we hung out at the hot tub for bit and went to bed.
Sadly, today was our last day in the Quaker inspired "City of Brotherly Love" but we definitely made it worth our while.
We started off seeing the breathtaking historical sites in Independence Park, beginning with the Liberty Bell. Ha, I felt like most of that museum was spent being jostled by Asians that were trying to get a "perfect picture." Aside from that, the Liberty Bell...looked just as it did the last two times I saw it. Still, though, it's so fascinating! To think of its age (dating back to the 1750s) and see it in person makes it a physical object of course, but I'm not sure if it makes it "real." I mean, that along with the rest of our American symbols is something that we've learned and experienced first hand since birth. Because of this, it's almost as if the Liberty Bell and George Washington are synonymous with words such as freedom, pride, and dignity which are not tangible, physical things. So seeing something like what we've seen today both uplifts my perceptions of it even more and also brings it down to earth and allows me to become more of an equal to it. In other words, the Liberty Bell represents such a pristine ideal that seems glorified and unattainable, yet seeing it makes it reachable. I suppose that's one reason it has endured and been something to attract tourists both near and far for so long.
As mentioned, we also saw Independence Hall but first we walked to Washington Park just behind it (we still had some minutes to kill.) This place made my top favorites too, I think. It was simply a city park but it was peaceful and quiet - the perfect testament to the hundreds of Revolutionary soldiers buried beneath the grass. In its conception, it was a Potters Field where poor folk were buried and later turned into a resting place for soldiers and citizens during the fight for freedom. There is a tomb of an unknown soldier as well which is so beautiful as a grand statue of General Washington stands vigil over him and an eternal flame burns brightly. It was a moving sight.
We walked back to the State Hall (Independence Hall) and began a tour which was positively exasperating, only for the 20 foreign teenagers who didn't give a ****about what was happening. Aside from their sorry selves, it was fantastic. To be there, right there on the same wood floors, touch the same door facings, stand beneath the same roof as some of the greatest Americans in our history....well it's something that I'm still having trouble absorbing. Elizabeth and I just stood outside and leaned against the wall for a bit. I couldn't help saying "What if George Washington did this same thing in this same spot, smoking a pipe looking at the street, coming up with some grand way to compromise during the arguments that ensued during the Continental Congress meetings?" Something to think about I guess but it's also a way to make him a real person, as well as all of the Founding Fathers. Imagining them walk to the building in the cool morning, stay there in that hot, wool colonial attire through the heat of the day, with the temperature outside and inside rising with equal steam? It's so much fun to imagine!
We then took off after food (Oh glory day!) And headed straight for the City Tavern which was SO STINKIN COOL. I mean, it was Washington's favorite tavern (we even ate in his private dining room) so of course it was exciting. Despite the fact it's not the original building, it's as close as can be to it! Then, we find out they sell beer brewed with Jefferson's, Washington s, Franklin's, and Hamilton's, recipes and I was sold. To drink a beer with Georges spirit? Hahaha, wow! I'm absolutely down for that! The Tavern was also home to much discussion that turned into our Constitution...yes, dad. HISTORY! (My specialty, apparently.) So after our free dessert (another wonderful word) we trotted out of there.
We visited Franklin court and Ben Franklin's museum which smelled very new and was pretty interesting, full of interactive exhibits. I was so full and tired by this point that I didn't stay too long, but wanted to walk across to the Post Office. (Yall got me hooked, lol). Unfortunately, they were out of stamps and the line was super long when I went back so you'll just have to wait I suppose. Then, we were going to watch a demostrationn in his print shop but it was closed, so just walked back to the hotel to grab our luggage.
After a long walk, I am now writing to you from the seat of a bus on the road to Washington DC. I can't believe we have already spent our time in Philadelphia and are already moving on to the next city, but I'm ready!
Once again, the pictures will be in order of my day. And the last is the view as I sat down on the bus. Not much of one but it means something to me. Love everyone!
We started off seeing the breathtaking historical sites in Independence Park, beginning with the Liberty Bell. Ha, I felt like most of that museum was spent being jostled by Asians that were trying to get a "perfect picture." Aside from that, the Liberty Bell...looked just as it did the last two times I saw it. Still, though, it's so fascinating! To think of its age (dating back to the 1750s) and see it in person makes it a physical object of course, but I'm not sure if it makes it "real." I mean, that along with the rest of our American symbols is something that we've learned and experienced first hand since birth. Because of this, it's almost as if the Liberty Bell and George Washington are synonymous with words such as freedom, pride, and dignity which are not tangible, physical things. So seeing something like what we've seen today both uplifts my perceptions of it even more and also brings it down to earth and allows me to become more of an equal to it. In other words, the Liberty Bell represents such a pristine ideal that seems glorified and unattainable, yet seeing it makes it reachable. I suppose that's one reason it has endured and been something to attract tourists both near and far for so long.
As mentioned, we also saw Independence Hall but first we walked to Washington Park just behind it (we still had some minutes to kill.) This place made my top favorites too, I think. It was simply a city park but it was peaceful and quiet - the perfect testament to the hundreds of Revolutionary soldiers buried beneath the grass. In its conception, it was a Potters Field where poor folk were buried and later turned into a resting place for soldiers and citizens during the fight for freedom. There is a tomb of an unknown soldier as well which is so beautiful as a grand statue of General Washington stands vigil over him and an eternal flame burns brightly. It was a moving sight.
We walked back to the State Hall (Independence Hall) and began a tour which was positively exasperating, only for the 20 foreign teenagers who didn't give a ****about what was happening. Aside from their sorry selves, it was fantastic. To be there, right there on the same wood floors, touch the same door facings, stand beneath the same roof as some of the greatest Americans in our history....well it's something that I'm still having trouble absorbing. Elizabeth and I just stood outside and leaned against the wall for a bit. I couldn't help saying "What if George Washington did this same thing in this same spot, smoking a pipe looking at the street, coming up with some grand way to compromise during the arguments that ensued during the Continental Congress meetings?" Something to think about I guess but it's also a way to make him a real person, as well as all of the Founding Fathers. Imagining them walk to the building in the cool morning, stay there in that hot, wool colonial attire through the heat of the day, with the temperature outside and inside rising with equal steam? It's so much fun to imagine!
We then took off after food (Oh glory day!) And headed straight for the City Tavern which was SO STINKIN COOL. I mean, it was Washington's favorite tavern (we even ate in his private dining room) so of course it was exciting. Despite the fact it's not the original building, it's as close as can be to it! Then, we find out they sell beer brewed with Jefferson's, Washington s, Franklin's, and Hamilton's, recipes and I was sold. To drink a beer with Georges spirit? Hahaha, wow! I'm absolutely down for that! The Tavern was also home to much discussion that turned into our Constitution...yes, dad. HISTORY! (My specialty, apparently.) So after our free dessert (another wonderful word) we trotted out of there.
We visited Franklin court and Ben Franklin's museum which smelled very new and was pretty interesting, full of interactive exhibits. I was so full and tired by this point that I didn't stay too long, but wanted to walk across to the Post Office. (Yall got me hooked, lol). Unfortunately, they were out of stamps and the line was super long when I went back so you'll just have to wait I suppose. Then, we were going to watch a demostrationn in his print shop but it was closed, so just walked back to the hotel to grab our luggage.
After a long walk, I am now writing to you from the seat of a bus on the road to Washington DC. I can't believe we have already spent our time in Philadelphia and are already moving on to the next city, but I'm ready!
Once again, the pictures will be in order of my day. And the last is the view as I sat down on the bus. Not much of one but it means something to me. Love everyone!
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