Philadelphia
(The City of Brotherly Love)
During my short visit I saw quite a bit of Philadelphia, thanks to my special guide. I not only caught a glimpse of American history, I sampled the local cuisine. I visited Pat�s Steak House, which is famous for their Philly Cheese steaks. They were absolutely delicious, just make sure if you sample them you handle them correctly or you may get into a mess.
I tried a Pretzel, these I found came in all types of flavors, garlic, raisin, original, cinnamon and parmesan and I suspect many more flavors if you take time to look around.
I stayed in King of Prussia, which is just outside Philadelphia; it has a huge shopping mall where you would never get tired of shopping. The mall has plenty of places to eat whether it be a snack or a romantic dinner, the mall can cater for your needs.
I had a horse and carriage ride around Philadelphia and even though the guide was well informed my personal guide was more informed, maybe it has something to do with the fact that he teaches it all day every day����
The highlight for me, I have to say was The Lights of Liberty Show. This was a spectacular show and you really do feel that you are there at the time of the revolution.
The Lights of Liberty
On July 8th, 1776 Philadelphia made history when the Declaration of Independence was read to the people. Now 223 years later Philadelphia relives that special time. You have to arrive 15 minutes before your show starts, to allow you to be fitted with your special 3-dimentional headset. Then you are led through the cobbled streets after dark and this is where the story unfolds. There were times when I thought there were horses charging from behind me and the voices of the characters were so real you could almost reach out and touch them. The headsets made the story come alive. All the images were projected onto the facades of the historical buildings. You walk through a battlefield and you hear rifles crackling, cannons booming and characters arguing. You then hear the actual words of William Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. This is a truly magnificent show. I did hear that it took $10 million to put together, and it is done with excellence.
A Brief Understanding of the American Revolution.
(As told to me by my friend and guide, Gerry.)
To briefly explain the American Revolution is very hard for me but here goes.
It was nothing but AUTHORITY v. NATURAL RIGHTS
Since the drafting of the Magna Carter by the feudal lords, the English people had sought to protect their liberties by imposing restraints on rulers.. At first their efforts were directed towards creating a strong Parliament to act as a check on the king. Within fifty years of that Glorious Revolution, however, liberals realized that an arbitrary legislature from which representatives of the people were excluded could be as tyrannical as an absolute monarch. Hence borrowing a doctrine from the Enlightenment, they began insisting that Parliament's authority was limited by an unwritten constitution which guaranteed to every man his natural rights to life, liberty, and property. This theory was universally accepted in the colonies by 1763. From this time on Americans had only to be convinced that an arbitrary ruler - whether - Parliament - or king -was violating their inherent rights, to feel that rebellion was justified. This was the conviction that was bred in them by the series of events that occurred between 1763 and 1776.
This was a very important place for me to visit. If there was anything that I wanted to see on my trip to Philadelphia this had to be the place. Many of the political and constitutional origins of the United States can be traced to Independence Hall. Independence Hall was built in 1732 as the Pennsylvania State House. It was a symbol of the nation to come. Independence Hall is, by every estimate, the birthplace of the United States. It was within its walls that the Declaration of Independence was adopted. It was here that the Constitution of the United States was debated, drafted and signed. That document is the oldest federal constitution in existence and was framed by a convention of delegates from 12 of the original 13 colonies.
The Assembly Room was the focal point for establishing Independence. It was in this room that Congress formally declared Independence, directed the war, and crafted the rules of government. August 2nd 1776 was a solemn day. With the stroke of a pen, men pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the cause of the revolution. The ink stand which sits proudly on the desk added a touch of elegance and was made by Philip Syng.
The chair is very symbolic, and was used by George Washington. As delegates signed the newly drafted Constitution, William Franklin assured those around him that the sun on the back of the chair was a rising sun and not a setting sun on the new nation.
The Betsy Ross house is from the colonial period. This is where Betsy Ross sewed the first flag of the United States of America.
The Liberty Bell
The bell was ordered from Whitechapel Foundry in London in 1751 to celebrate the anniversary of Penn�s Charter. When the bell arrived in 1751, it either was received cracked or cracked shortly after arrival. Local brass founders John Pass and John Stow melted it down and recast it. A replacement was also ordered from Whitechapel London. The Pass & Stow bell was completed and installed before the replacement arrived from London. When the Whitechapel bell arrived most folks agreed it sounded no better than Pass and Stow's recast Bell. The Pass and Stow Bell remained in the State House steeple ( now known as Independence Hall). The new Whitechapel bell was hung in a cupola on the State House roof, attached to the State House clocks. It was this bell which rang the time for Philadelphians. The Pass and Stow bell rang for special events.
A chime that changed the world occurred on July 8, 1776, when the Liberty Bell rang out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning citizens to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. It should be in the top five tourist attractions for anyone�s visit to Philadelphia. The inscription on the bell reads:
"Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof"
In October 1777, the British occupied Philadelphia. Weeks earlier all bells, including the Liberty Bell were removed from the city. It was well understood that if left they would likely to be melted down for cannon. The Liberty Bell was removed from the city and hidden under the floorboards at the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown.
The Bell was brought back to Philadelphia but not rehung. The rotten steeple didn't allow it. The Bell was put into storage for seven years. Some believe the Bell was stored in one of the munitions sheds that flanked the State House. In 1781 The State House steeple was torn down and in 1785 the Bell was rehung in the rebuilt State House steeple.
The most famous crack in history, the zig-zag fracture occurred while the Liberty Bell was being rung for Washington's birthday. Liberty Bell is now housed in a pavilion on Independence Mall. The Pavilion built 1976 allows visitors to view the Bell at any time during the day was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola and Associates.
Fairmount Park
This is the largest landscaped city park in the world. It is more than 8,500 acres in size. Its biggest sections extend northwest along both banks of the Schuylkill River, past the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Attractions in Fairmount Park include the Waterworks, The Philadelphia Zoo, historic houses, the Japanese House (which was closed during my visit) and the Japanese Gardens. On Sundays the road is closed so you can walk, roller blade, jog and cycle through the paths at Fairmount Park.
Elfreth�s Alley
This is the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the United States. The privately owned houses were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. No�s 124 and 126 are museums and also include a gift shop.
Some of the houses open up to visitors on the first weekend of June, and on one evening in December when residents dress in colonial clothing for the Elfreth�s Alley Days.
Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial
This was dedicated on October 26th, 1987, the names etched into this outdoor amphitheatre of black granite panels honor the 643 Philadelphians killed in the Vietnam War. It is located at Penns Landing, Spruce St., and Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Boat House Row
Twelve Tudor-style buildings, built in the mid-19th century hose the �Schuylkill Navy,� and rowing clubs whose members can be seen in their long, slender boats almost all year round. You can observe the houses at night across the river, as the houses are all outlined with hundreds of white lights, along Kelly Drive.
The City Hall
It seems everywhere I took photographs; City Hall seemed to get into shot. It is a very impressive building and you will notice if, from every angle that you enter Philadelphia.
A 27 ton, 37 foot, bronze statue of William Penn is perched at the top of this centrally located historical building. It stands 548 feet above the city, and is the tallest piece of masonry structure without a steel frame on any building in the world. The views from the tower are said to offer a spectacular view of the city.
Pat's Steak House
9th & Wharton Streets
During my stay in Philadelphia, I had heard about Pat's Steaks and I had also read the story behind it, so it was obvious that I had to try one for myself. I was not disappointed because they were absolutely delicious. I would recommend them to anyone.
The story of PAT'S KING OF STEAKS:-
In 1930, Pat Olivieri was selling hot dogs at an outside stand, eating them every day. Wanting something different, he sent his brother Harry to the butcher for scrap meat. They cooked it on the hot dog grill, and placed it in a roll with some onions. A passing cabbie came up to the stand and said, "Pat, what's that? Looks good - sell me one." Pat did, and after one bite the cabbie said, "Forget those hot dogs, this is the kind of sandwich you should sell." And with that, the sandwich steak was born. 69 years later, still owned by the original family, they are recognized as the leader in cheese steaks by people worldwide.
They got my vote anyway.
My Thoughts!
Even though I was only in Philadelphia for a short time, I had a great time. There were not enough hours in the day to see and do everything, but I sure did cram a lot into my short visit. The colors of the leaves on the trees, were wonderful. An artists dream. Late October/Early November is a great time to go, if you wish to take colorful photographs, it is not cold and there is so much to see.
I cannot do Philadelphia justice on this web page but if you ever get the chance to visit, you must! I know I will be returning, it is a place that you will never be able to see enough of. It certainly was a lot bigger than I ever thought, and there is something for everyone young and old. You will never be short of places to eat, and if there is any advice I can give, to women it is DIET! Before you go���.
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