Philadelphia Trip, Day 1

Okay, we made it. We're here. For background see the last few days' postings. We actually got a fairly early start: out of the driveway at 9:30. (I know, you hunters and other early risers will be derisive, but we've got a 7 year old.) Only one gas stop and one potty stop, so we rolled into Philadelphia before 1:00. Even before we left the Interstate Sarah was looking at the skyline (Washington doesn't allow tall buildings lest they conflict with the monuments), the rivers, the Navy Yard, New Jersey (I am not making this up) and announced she'd like to live here. "Do they have schools here?"

We spent the afternoon downtown. Ate lunch at the Reading Terminal Market, as planned, and Sarah had long announced her desire for Italian. She had a huge spaghetti with two big meatballs, Tam had lasagna and I had a sausage sandwich. You could feel the arteries clogging, but it was great food and cost no more than a regular lunch at a DC museum.

Then, because we went online too late to book ahead for Independence Hall, we went to see if any tickets were available for the next day. They said come back tomorrow morning. Since it was already 2:30 we decided to save the Franklin Institute for another day, and see some stuff around Independence Hall. Sarah begged to go on a horse-and-buggy ride, though it was bitter cold. She said she'd never ridden in a carriage. She's done so at least twice in Lexington, Virginia, and probably at least once somewhere else, but we yielded. When that was over the driver tried to take our picture and dropped our camera, knocking the batteries out and lenscap off, but leaving it apparently working, though the date reset backward by a month and I don't have the manual with me.

We then went and took some pictures of the Liberty Bell, and those with Sarah can be found on our usual sites. Mao is rolling over in his grave.

We then visited the site of Ben Franklin's home, took the subway back to the car, and headed for our hotel, out in the suburbs (in King of Prussia, near Valley Forge). We ate at a chain Lone Star Steak House (Sarah's choice) with Mom getting to choose tomorrow night. Photos and a video are up. Next report tomorrow night.