Why go to the city on your day off? Don’t the crowds all over, inconsiderate traffic and even the smells of the town lure you to spend the afternoon among the city dwellings? It should, because the city is much more than the hustle and bustle you see on movies. A simple Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia can open your mind to a whole new world of culture and adventure in which you never knew was right out your backdoor.
When we first got to the city, I could just feel that it was going to be a great day. Comfortably dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt, the weather was extremely pleasant. Not too much sun and just enough clouds, the conditions were ideal for exploring the city. Our initial city interaction came when we were dropped in the crowds that surrounded the art museum. A race for the cure, a children’s fair at the science museum, added to the Sunday crowds leaving church, the city was full of people of all different ages and backgrounds. Winding our way past the race finish line to the Art Museum stairs, the image of the entire city from the top was breathtaking. How could anyone avoid experiencing a sight like this? The fear of being in an unfamiliar place, not really knowing what was going on was suddenly relieved when I saw how calm and inviting the skyline looked in front of us.
Winding around by St. Peter and Paul Cathedral and City Hall we happened to stumbled across a fellow traveler with nothing but a backpack and sunglasses on his head. He stopped us on the street corner to inquire about the location of a visitor’s center. I guess he figured we looked like Philadelphians: talk about fitting into your surroundings! We were unsure of the location of the visitor’s center but we tried to give him (we’re pretty sure he was French) some pointers about what to do in the city since he was only going to be there a day. He declined the map we offered him, and then before we went our separate ways the final thing we told him was to follow the perfectly placed, color coded signs that were every couple blocks; these signs highlighted points of interest in the city and really made it easy to navigate the city without the use of a map.
It felt so good after interacting with ‘Frenchy’ because I could now fit in among fellow travelers. There was no need to use computers or technology to communicate. We were forced to use our surroundings and the previous knowledge we had gained in order to carry out a conversation or to even sound like we remotely had any idea about what was going on. After this experience, I was excited to see what else I could learn about myself as I wandered the streets of Philly. We passed an entire exhibit of can sculptures. Yes, entire trains and buildings made of good old Campbell’s soup, assorted caned veggies, and even some spam. When you first saw them, it was not really anything special: Oh look there’s a train. But after deeper examination, each can was intricately placed to make up a final master piece. The various structures were made in order to gather food to be donated to a local charity organization. If I had come across such a set up in the middle of Hightstown I would have been very confused. But, being in the city opens your mind and makes ‘can art’ just an everyday thing.
Some things in the city did surprise me! After walking through the courtyard of City Hall and looking up at William Penn atop the building, at figure I had seen numerous times when I passed through town; I now realized it was an immaculate work of architecture with massive size. Even walking the cobble streets around Independence Hall, just like I had every year on elementary school trips, I was enlightened. It was amazing to think about how much history surrounded an area in which some people have passed hundreds of times and never even stopped. The horse and buggy and authentic gardens made visitors feel as if Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin were, at that moment, signing the most important documents of every American’s life. But then a few streets down, South Street brings the new wave of our country’s history. The flashy clothes, rare hairstyle and exotic shops, create an entirely different atmosphere from that of the historic district. It is amazing how within four blocks of each other, the pace and lifestyle of the locals changes so drastically.
After the ‘wiz with and the works’ cheese steaks, the black and white milkshakes, and the several miles of walking, the view from Penn’s Landing into the Veterans Memorial Park was a relief. Although it was clearer now that we were in the middle of an industrialized city, it was relaxing to know that the day had been success. Indeed we stuck mostly to the itinerary, but we were able to stroll the streets of Philadelphia and pretend like we were authentic travelers, ready and willing to discover. Even the simplest bum on the street or old couple exiting church offered a sense of how others live their lives. Outside of the central jersey bubble we reside in, it was an opportunity to experience an aspect of life that is so close to us. This simple journey made me realize that if I learned so much on my five hour trip to Philadelphia, I wonder what I could gain from the endless number of cities all over the world. Now I am eager to travel and discover so much more!
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