NEW YORK to PHILADELPHIA – love is in the air

Sunday – A comfortable night in my little room and I must say here and now that the communal bathroom was very clean, safe and no problem at all.  There is one on each floor so it is no drama to toddle down the aisle.  But enough -today we make our way to Penn Street Station for our train to Philadelphia – city of Love.

After packing we decide to have brekkie in the Cafe downstairs (this is not included in the hotel rate) instead of trying our luck at the station, and anyway it will be a more genteel surround.  I have juice and a toasted focaccia and joy of joys they have little packets of Vegemite, (I have brought some with me just in case).  A lovely coffee doesn’t go astray either.  Sitting enjoying a relax we decide to go for a bit of a walk along the river to see what things are like during the day.  Talk about a heart starter crossing the road, even with traffic lights and a proper crossing but luck is with us and we arrive safely on the other side.

It is a beautiful morning – not cold at all – the air is clear and crisp and we get some great views both of the other side of the river and our hotel plus we even get to see The Lady herself.  Even though she is quite a distance away – the zoom comes in handy.  Lots of old wooden remnants of where docks used to be but the dock where Titanic was to berth – Pier 59 -is quite a distance from us so we do not get to visit – not that there is anything to see nowadays.  After Titanic sank, Carpathia brought Titanic’s lifeboats to Pier 59 and then went to Pier 54 to dock with survivors. Chelsea Piers continued to be a functioning pier until it was torn down in 1991 to make room for the Westway highway.

There are many people out jogging or cycling – we have just had a good brekkie so in a way we are walking that off.

Gathering our bags and checking out, we tell the staff that we have had a most pleasant stay then head outside where the doorman hails us a cab.  Arriving at the station, the place is packed, I mean seriously crowded.  There are no seats so we have to stand around waiting for the platform number to appear against our train. Just as well we ate at the hotel.  Waiting, waiting, waiting and then a female employee starts walking around yelling platform numbers and which entrance to take.  That’s great if you can hear and understand her so we start to follow her around until she announces our train.

We are scheduled to depart at 10.05am so we join the mad scramble with everyone else heading for their platforms.  The train arrives and there are no seat allocations so first in – best dressed.  I grab a window seat and K&T get two seats together so everything has worked out OK.

The journey is just over an hour – very relaxing after the scramble at Penn – look at the scenery but not in photo mood – that has to be a first.   We arrive refreshed – well sort of, I think maybe a touch of jetlag?  The station – 30th Street – is a really large place with a magnificent mural carved on the wall.  This is a dedication to the Spirit of Transportation.

HISTORY LESSON : This panel was the conception and work of Karl Bitter. (sounds like a beer!) The panel was completed in 1895 and placed in the waiting room of Broad Street Station.  It was then moved to this station in January 1955.  It represents a triumphal procession of progress led by a small child carrying a model of an airship – a vision of things to come.

We get a cab to the hotel – The Alexander Inn.  Another one of our web discoveries that turns out to be a lovely place with a very friendly reception staff.  Good choice!

As we are early there is only one room ready – so K&T take that and I drop my stuff in there to collect when my room is available.  The room looks good and clean so hope my room is just as comfortable.  We chose this hotel as it is centrally located and not so very big which means not so many people.  Resting for a bit – we decide to do a bit of exploring.  Back down to reception and the nice staff give us a map, mark out the main points of interest – and point us in the right direction.  Doesn’t sound so very hard right?  WRONG.

There is a large street party in Philly today. All the streets are closed off to traffic so that should make walking easy – but there are lots and lots of people, lots of stalls selling food, rainbow gear and all things gay.  Lots of cross dressers and trannies and I must admit some of them were gorgeous.  Kylie took photos but I was just a tad apprehensive – so no photos of the population here.  Walking through it all was very interesting and everyone seemed polite – no pushing and shoving – everyone just out for a good time.

HISTORY LESSON : ‘Outfest’ is the largest national Coming Out event in the world.  The idea quickly took hold in the Gay community, with celebrations in numerous cities around the country.  Philadelphia was one of the first cities to organize on a large scale by creating a block party to showcase the many facets of the Gay community in 1990.   The event quickly grew into what the greater Philly region now celebrates as ‘Outfest”.  Held on the Sunday prior to Columbus Day every October, the festival attracts nearly 40,000 people.

Here is a photo taken just outside our hotel.  We are practically at the end of the street and therefore the end of the celebrations so you cannot really get a good indication of what is going on!

Anyway, time to hit the trail for our first bit of exploration.  We are heading to the Swann Memorial Fountain – about a 25 minute walk from the hotel.  The day is quite warm and it is easy walking even counting the crowds.  We catch glimpses of City Hall but there will be time to take plenty of photos later and when we arrive at the fountain it gives a cool, refreshing spray as we walk closer.

HISTORY LESSON: The Swann Memorial Fountain is in memory of Dr Wilson Cary Swann, founder of the Philadelphia Fountain Society.  Adapting the ‘River God’ tradition it creates the large Native American figures to symbolize the area’s major streams.   The Delaware – represented by a male figure reaching above his head to grasp his bow;  The Schuylkill – by a mature woman holding the neck of a swan and the Wissahickon – a young girl leaning on her side against a swan.

For such a hot day there are not many people here – maybe they are all at the Coming Out parties.  Across the road from the fountain is the Franklin Institute.  HISTORY LESSON : In 1824, The Franklin Institute opened in Independence Hall to honor Benjamin Franklin and his inventiveness. In 1934, with the construction of the current building and the adjacent Fels Planetarium, it became a hands-on science museum. The IMAX Theater and the Mandell Center were added in 1990. Today, it’s Pennsylvania’s most visited museum. In the museum’s rotunda is the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, with a 20-foot-tall marble statue of the scientist and Founding Father.

We have put the Institute on our itinerary so that we can see the Ben Franklin Statue which is in the Rotunda.  To see this there is no charge but to go inside the actual museum there is.  We do not have time to go inside and realistically I do not feel the urge so we walk around Ben taking photos from every angle.

There is also a light show on the statue so that is cool.

Leaving here we feel a bit peckish so a quick trip to a hot dog vendor in the street outside is in order.  Nothing special – typical hot dog and a bottle of water, that we take back over to the Swann Fountain Park so that we can relax and eat in peace.  Time to start walking back to the hotel for a bit of rest.

Passing the Academy of Natural Sciences, we discover they have a dinosaur exhibition.  Outside the Academy there is a large statue of a tyrannosaurus and also some raptors.  The tyrannosaurus is animated and makes growling noises while the mouth opens and the head turns.

Next we pass by JFK park and the famous LOVE sign. 

There are lots of people here having their photos taken and these people are being organised by a lady who is pretty good at it.  Keeping everyone in a queue she offers to take their photo – but there are 3 of us so we don’t need any help in that area.  I don’t see any money change hands and I don’t think she is a council worker – so maybe she just likes doing it.  Anyway she is extremely nice.

Back to the hotel to finish checking in and have a bit of rest before dinner.  After a couple of hours we head back out at dusk – the crowds seem to have dispersed and it is easy walking up to the main part of the city.  We decide to dine at The Olive Garden.  Kylie advises that it has good food so in we trot.  We are seated and it is not long before we are brought the menus and drink list.  Drinks first – I have an Italian Margarita which is a ‘true’ margarita with an Amaretto on the side, what a great start to the night.  Foodwise, I select the Venetian Apricot Chicken which is delicious.  With our tummies happy again it is time to explore PA by night.

Back toward the Swann Fountain, we pass City Hall.  Lots of construction work going on in this area which is not positive for the photos – but we manage to position ourselves without too much scaffolding.

 

 The night is a bit chilly but not cold so after nough photos at The Swann it is time to make the long walk up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  At the top of the Parkway is a memorial to William Shakespeare.  I hope you all remember who he was – if not click here to refresh your high school English lessons. 

I love Shakespeare – thank you to my High School teachers who broadened my knowledge and while not really appreciating their efforts back then – I certainly do now.  If you are lucky enough you may even get a chance to visit Stratford-Upon-Avon in England.  It is a quaint Elizabethan village where Shakespeare’s family home is still standing, but I digress – see my earlier journals for further information.

Two characters from Shakespeare’s plays adorn the memorial: Hamlet – the doomed, brooding figure with a knife representing tragedy and the Jester from As You Like It representing Comedy.

We continue our long walk down the Parkway – arriving at the Washington Monument.

Designed by Rufdolf Siemering in 1897 – The Washington Monument is located on the North West end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway where it sits in the in Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The highlight is a bronze statue of George Washington sitting on a horse but the monument also includes bronze statues of alligators, bears, birds, bison, oxen, elk, moose, fish, horse, snake, plants and shells.  Wow that’s a lot of nature for one monument.

Time for our ‘Rocky’ run up the stairs of the Art Museum.  Would you believe a brisk walk? Would you believe a slow crawl? A bronze statue of Rocky was briefly situated at the top of the steps for the filming of Rocky III but this statue is now located at the bottom right of the steps where it has become a popular photo opportunity for visitors – we are no exception.  The views from the top are incredible and there are hardly any tourists!

Our last stop was to be Boathouse Row, a charming row of boat sheds and houses lit with fairy lights and which is situated a short walk from the Gallery along the Schuylkill River Trail , but the night has turned cold – Kylie has no jacket – so we decide to give The Row a miss and head on back.

That is easier said than done as the walk is so long and of course there are no cabs! Walking, walking, walking down the bottom of the parkway and nearly back at the fountain we are lucky enough to find a happy cabbie who soon deposits us back at our nice warm hotel.

Hot shower – cup of tea and into bed. Aaaaahhhhhh!

Highlight of the Day – Ben and me.