The whole purpose of my trip out East was to help Swim Girl move back to the Midwest. She is tired of being so far away from family and friends and wants to start over a little closer to home. Like maybe in the same time zone. So in order for that to happen, I went out to help her pack her belongings and head west. Again.
Now remember, I was the one who traveled, by car mind you, to California last summer and helped her move to Baltimore. I think that we figured out that I put in 5400 miles sitting on my butt in a car. Iowa to Arizona to California, back to Iowa then on to Baltimore. Yup. 5400 miles. I get to have bonus mommy points. And then I get a triple bonus score for doing this all within 3 months of knee replacement surgery.
Swim Girl loves to sight see. So, she had the great idea of meeting me in Philly and we would do the tourist thing. I was to take the train from Penn Station in New York to Philadelphia. I would wait at the station for an hour and a half until she could get there and then we would play tourist. Okay. I'm game. I mean, what else am I doing? My bathroom remodel was scheduled to be done the day before I left so what was there to worry about? Besides, neither one of us had really toured Philly. I had visited years before when Computer Boy was choosing colleges, and all I remember is that the X Games were going on while we were there.
So, we 'did' the Old City where our democracy was born. It was pretty neat. Especially that chocolate shop on the one street. I took note and we went back. I do have my priorities.
Our walking tour started at the Constitution Center. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to visit anything more than the restrooms. They were nice.
Straight ahead is Independence Hall.
Do you see the stones flanked by two strips of concrete. That is the size of the roads that were originally here. I don't know what happens if you meet another carriage. I guess someone has to back up.
They were very fond of tearing down old buildings in this part of Philly, so not much remains of the original, historical city. These are the 'in situ' (fancy word for right where it used to be and still is) remains of the foundation of the President's House.
With the old buildings gone, they have to do something to help us poor, dumb tourists visualize how it used to be. So, they sort of rebuilt the thing, but not really. This is what the President's House would have looked like back in the day. Except, there would have been walls, a second story, rooms, and a roof.
This is 2nd Bank (I think). I am a sucker for Corinthian columns. Always have been.
Betsy Ross lived here. They say that she sewed the first flag. However, they won't give her credit for designing it. Apparently a man did that. Yeah. Right.
This little beauty should look familiar. I had no idea what a worldwide symbol of independence it is.
I had an argument with the guard about John Deere vs IH. I won.
I had an argument with the guard about John Deere vs IH. I won.
Ah yes. Obligatory architectural element.
This is a leg. I don't know whose leg it is supposed to be, but I thought it was a neat leg.
People really do still live here. Apparently it is the oldest residential street in the country.
These keys were on a bust of, you guessed it, Benjamin Franklin. Funny sense of humor they have in Philadelphia.
I do believe old Ben was a bit of an over achiever.
Like I said, odd sense of humor. This was completely random.
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