It's been nearly five years ago, the last time I was in this state. I visited Gettysburg for one day with my parents after the anniversary of the battle, the second week of July, 2005. In recognition of that trip I wore my Gettysburg t-shirt I had bought there as a strolled (or aggressively hiked) Chestnut Street between Penn's Landing and Independence Hall.
I arrived quite early in the morning, around 8 o'clock. Nothing was open yet, so this is when I did stroll along the waterfront. There was convenient parking at a hotel nearby, so I used this and took many pictures of the warships in the beautiful morning light. It was starting to get warm, but nothing like it was at noon-time with a glaring sun directly overhead! Very glad to get the landscape shots when I did!
I climbed the steps and crossed the bridge that sent me over I-95 to the historic district. I was in awe. Here were ancient streets (by Seattle's standards) that our heroes of old actually trod! I stumbled across the City Tavern almost immediately and noted its location as that's where I wanted to eat lunch. I kept walking and took a turn down a street to see what the giant marble structure was that I saw... and it turned out to be the "First Bank of the United States"... and it was impressive!!! I walked behind the building (timidly, because I didn't know if that was allowed) and stumbled into a lovely park that led to the Carpenter's Hall where the First Continental Congress met. Wow! From there I found Independence Hall and waited up until two minutes before my 9AM tour when I realized I had forgotten to go to the visitor's center to pick up the actual ticket! So I ran in the already blazing heat and clearing skies down the block to the center where the man graciously gave me a 9:15 ticket. :)
I loved seeing Washington's Chair! Wow! The tour guide's talk was pretty good. It was a little laborious to listen to, but he did a descent job. He generalized the importance of the constitution a little too much for me. But what an incredible thing to see for the first time. I don't care how many pictures I've seen... it is so impressive to see it in person.
After the Hall I saw the Bell. It was relatively easy to get good pictures of it. Most people stood on the ends of the room, trying for impressive shots with the Hall in the background through the window. The sides of it were wide open. By the time I got through there, it was around 10:20, and I headed back down to the waterfront for the Sea Port Museum. I liked this very much, especially all the model ships! I also found a couple of my favorite recruiting posters in a quarter size (11x14?) at the shop. I dropped these off at the car before continuing back up to the City Tavern for lunch, promptly when they opened at 11:30. I was the third person seated! I had duck and pork sausage on cabbage and a country garden salad with a raspberry vinaigrette that was a favorite with Martha Washington, they say. It was quite tasty! The employees were dressed up in period clothes and the food was served on pewter plates and the water in pewter goblets. Very fun! and very good!
Then I went back to the landing (whew! lots of walking!) and toured the Olympia. I'm so very glad I could see it still! The top of the ship was open, so I was able to see the entire thing. From there I rushed back to my car where I got in (and got a little messed up with my GPS) and then headed for a quick stop at the Brandywine Battlefield. I saw the Washington's Headquarters building and was able to stop in at the Visitor's Center for a patch. Finally! There were *none* in Philadelphia. I also bought a tiny little Liberty Bell key chain that actually rings! So cute! But by that time I was going to be a bit late picking up Emma, so I flew down US 1 as fast as I could... which was not very fast! The traffic today has been terror-ific. :)
Getting to 30th Street Station was scary! I nearly hit a bus that merged into my lane and I had to go rather fast next to rows and rows of parked cars while getting back into Philly from the west. And it took Emma and I a while before we could meet... it's so confusing, but thank goodness we both had cells and soon were safely on our way to Valley Forge together. Unfortunately, our route both back and forth from the park was on I-75, which had a tendency to crawl every now and then. But the scenery was gorgeous. Rivers, trees, old stone bridges, fields and such. And it was *wonderful* to finally meet Emma! ("Hi Emma!" - she's here with me as we both are chatting online now from her house).
I somehow took a wrong turn before getting into the park and ended up going in from the back gate, I think. So driving around the park was pretty wild. All I had was a generic address for the GPS, and the lady kept yelling at me to do one thing or another (and I wasn't sure if she knew what she was doing) so I muted her. Gosh, I loved the park! It reminded me very much of Gettysburg. Sweeping grassland between thick woods, bright green with summer growth. And there were deer frolicking everywhere. There were some small ones, I think, and a buck with very short horns, but it was hard to tell, watching them in the tall grass. And the monument to "Mad" Anthony Wayne very much reminded me of the one of Lee on the Confederate side (the Virginia monument), but I thought this one much grander.
(Anthony at VF, and the typewriter at the train station there)
They are restoring the platform of the Valley Forge train station, so we nearly missed seeing the displays there because we thought it was closed. We first saw some scattered features along a trail, and then a feature on the history of the forging that went on there and then saw Washington's Headquarters at the Potts House. I was *very* impressed to be in the same building that *he* had stayed in. But goodness! it was hot! We turned up the AC to the third degree and had a drink when we got back to the car. The traffic going back on 75 was a little worse than it was coming. And once back to Philadelphia, I again made a wrong turn, but we ended up going where Emma wanted to be anyway. We stopped at Arby's for dinner and had a nice little chat together.
Emma lives right next to a VFW post, so besides the gorgeous park situated on the river with tall trees and big turtles, there is also an artillery piece just across the parking lot outside her front walkway. :) Once inside, she introduced me to her large, fluffy family :) Her place is so cozy! It's in an attic... but a fully outfitted attic! So the ceiling makes a sort of A shape and makes the place very secret and friendly feeling. For entertainment, we watched "That's Entertainment" and I was thoroughly entertained! Lots of musical stuff that I was unfamiliar with, however familiar I was with the names.
What a wonderful day! And there are so many left still! Whew!
(And here is Emma's post.)
Jp
Emma's River
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