Philadelphia: known as the city of brotherly love, home of the Philly cheese steak, and perhaps most importantly, the birthplace of our great nation. As a city of immense historical significance Philadelphia naturally attracts people with a particular interest in times past. The city offers a wide range of historical activities and attractions such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. However, I fear that some may miss the true experience of Philadelphia by merely visiting the popular tourist attractions. Though they may be very informative and entertaining, they aren’t really Philadelphia at all. They were Philadelphia. I arrived in Philadelphia as just another traveler among thousands of other travelers similar to me. Our only apparent kinship being that we were all outsiders to a city that cherishes their own. Yet I wasn’t aware that I was about to step off the bus and into a second “home,”— and that those travelers who surrounded me were simply distant family members.
The forecast called for rain all day, but I was determined to not let the specter of a few rain clouds influence my day. Our first visit was the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was currently featuring the famous “Cezanne and Beyond” exhibit. Unfortunately, my partner Jae and I would have had to pay a fee quite over our budget in order to witness the Cezanne exhibit itself, so we had to forego the exhibit in favor of the permanent collections. We ventured through the halls and exhibitions the museum offered, and were pleasantly surprised. Several pieces of art in the exhibit “Peaks of Faith: Buddhism,” we had only recently learned about in our studies, which enabled us to experience our learning on the fly—experiencing a living, breathing city through its ode to art. Although not originally a part of our plans, we spent time wandering around the Modern art exhibits and really gained a feel for the art culture Philadelphia had to offer.
Art still churning in our heads, my partner and I decided to surrender to the pleas of our stomachs and head down to South Street where Pat’s and Geno’s steakhouses were situated. Hailing a taxi for only $5.43, we talked amicably with the cab driver, who happened to have grown up around the same area that my parents had, and he was eager to make me feel like a local. “Once a Philly girl, always a Philly girl!” shouted the driver to me as I exited the cab. I smiled in return, grateful for his friendly farewell.
The familiar never-ending queue greeted me as I walked up to Pat’s steakhouse to join the eager cheese steak fans. Anticipation marked the faces of those in line. Fortunately, our comrade Mike Clark had been waiting for a cheese steak as well and he offered us a spot in line with him, virtually cutting our wait in half. As we approached the window I knew what I wanted, and in true Philly vernacular stated clearly “Wiz, wit out,” with impeccable speed. The cheese steak was like any other I had tasted before; the steak to cheese ratio was ideal, the juicy steak was cooked to perfection, and the fresh roll seemed to be right out of the oven. The crowded, vibrant atmosphere of South Philadelphia enhanced the experience and made it seem all the more special. Mike Clark had met up with his aunt Sue, also a Philly native, and we chatted as we enjoyed our steaks. Sue explained what she knew about Peddie, andthat she thought Jae and I were lucky to attend such a great school. It’s incredibly helpful to hear input such as Sue’s, for sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the little things in life and take things like a Peddie education for granted. Sue and I were soon engaging in an in-depth conversation about my ambitions to someday become and English teacher, something she admired very much. Throughout the duration of this conversation, I could not help thinking that this person had been placed along my path for a reason; if I had not come to Philadelphia on this Sunday afternoon, I would not have met this wonderful person. And as I thought this, the sun poked out from behind the clouds. The day looked promising.
Sue offered us a ride to the historic district, and we gladly obliged, for it was much cheaper and easier than hailing another cab. Since we had already experienced some of the culture Philadelphia had to offer, Jay and I decided to take in some of the history of Philadelphia whilst on a buggy ride through the historic cobblestone streets. Our horse, appropriately named Truman after the thirty third president of the United States, was as stubborn as a mule, which only added to the unique city experience. The driver enthusiastically pointed to historic buildings such as Carpenter’s Hall, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell. She passionately spoke of her experiences in Philadelphia, and her love for the city was infectious. Following the buggy ride, Jay and I walked the streets ourselves and entered Carpenter’s Hall to get a closer look at the building. We walked along the cobblestone roads, original roads, the same roads that our founding fathers walked across—but I wasn’t just walking, I was feeling. I was surrounded by an inescapable history, and it was an inspiring feeling.
By now the sun was shining completely, and it had turned into a beautiful day. Though I had only spent four hours in the city of Philadelphia, I had learned more than I ever expected to learn from a single place. I found a city on the crossroads of an illustrious history and a culturally rich present. I saw the real Philadelphia and then saw where it all began over three hundred years ago. The experiences, the interactions, and the trip as a whole have benefited me as a traveler and won’t leave me any time soon.
Sunlight danced off the arches of Philadelphia’s City Hall as I stood admiring its beauty from beneath the doorway of China Town, if there were a grander sight somewhere else in the world at this moment I could not imagine one. We had walked about ten yards and already Matt, my travel partner, and I were lost. While he immersed himself in our one and only barley decipherable map of Philadelphia, I stood and wondered how many people had ever gazed upon City Hall from the spot I was standing in today. By the time Matt had decided on a direction for us to begin walking in I had come to the conclusion that at some point in history at least four presidents if not more had once stood on the exact cobblestone as I. Together we meandered across the street to Thomas Paine Plaza where an enormous intricately assembled statue entitled “Government of the People,” stood looming above our heads. The shape of the sculpture was comprised of four to five muscular human bodies intertwined together. The most interesting aspect of this piece was that none of the men’s faces were showing. Again I stood and amused myself with ideas on why the artist decided to sculpt his work in this way. To myself I thought that maybe the statue was supposed to represent a strong government with no one specific leader, hence the lack of a particular face on any one of the men. However I decided that sharing my thoughts with Matt would actually require the two of us to converse. I debated and eventually came to the conclusion that a discussion about the meaning of a sculpture would be too much too soon for Matt and I, considering the fact that up to this point our conversational skills were still on the one word level.
We hung a left and continued down JFK until in turned into not JFK and within a span of less than ten minutes we were now lost again.At this point we decided to toss our map and wing it the rest of the way.We continued to walk along and as we passed Carlton St. we noticed a rundown bridge with an elaborate array of Chinese decorative lights hanging from the ceiling of the Bridge.We stood underneath the lights for a few minutes and marveled at its unique beauty.Here Matt and I spoke again.“That’s cool,” I said.“Yeah, I agree,” he said.
We ventured on down the same street until we came to the African American Episcopal Church.The church was huge in comparison to its neighboring buildings and the stones it was built with were covered in decades of mold and dirt.At first glance it was very unappealing to the eye.We stood at the front door for a moment and listened to the sermon going on inside.The front doors were cracked open and inside there was a large bouquet of fresh flowers arranged in the lobby.I sneezed at the sight of them, today was a bad day for my allergies.We circled the church once looking for anything interesting, and I noticed that all the doors on the church were painted red, an interesting color for the doors of a church.Matt found at stone built into the base of the church that read “1844-1909.”“That’s old,” I said.“Yeah, really old,” he said.At least we were making progress?
By this time we were hungry.We made our way to Redding Terminal; a place Matt had been to before and knew was good.As we were about to cross the road into the terminal a blonde tight pants wearing wannabe from the streets girl dressed in all pink with a matching pink book bag to boot ran screaming past the two of us, who at this point were standing motionless on the curb of the street dumb struck at the sight.In a fit of hysteria the mystery girl through her phone to the pavement and stomped her foot in indignation.She had the vocabulary of a rap star and didn’t hesitate to curse like a sailor.I couldn’t help but stare at her only out of confusion, and when she noticed my gaze she again didn’t hesitate to direct her rap star drunken sailor slang at me.To avoid repeating the exact belligerence that she spoke I’ll just say she called me every derogatory word under the sun, and that about sums it up.“Oh, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to star I just didn’t know if you needed help or something?” I stuttered trying to find the right words that would sooth this raging beast before she resorted to physical violence as my punishment for staring at her.“Gurl it cew’ I jus pissed duh bus driver didn’t wait fah meh.”From this spelling one should be able to interpret the woman’s strong dialect.“Is there anything I can do?” I asked approaching her with caution.“Naw I be aight.”With that she turned and strutted back down the street in the direction she had come.I turned to look at Matt’s reaction.It was a blank stare.I shrugged my shoulders for lack of another motion and we continued into the Termial.
All day I had been saying that I wanted to get a Philly Cheese Steak, but when we got there the food court was so incredibly packed with foods I had never seen before that I decided I would try something other than a cheese steak.We ended up both getting sandwiches that were easily the size of a small animal, and of course I devoured every last morsel of mine.I think I may have scared Matt a little bit judging by the look on his face that read, “Holy shit, I didn’t see that coming.”
After lunch we walked on to JFK Park to see the LOVE statue.I had never seen it before and it was actually smaller than I thought I was going to be.I was also surprised at how clean it and well taken care of it was.The red letters of the statue seemed as if they were freshly repainted that day so as to preserve the awe inspiring first glance of the statue itself.It had now been almost three hours since we had arrived in Philly and my leg strength and will to carry on were slowing disintegrating with every passing minute we spent walking.Matt could see that I was struggling and suggested that we start heading over to the Vietnam Memorial a few minutes ahead of schedule, where we were to be picked up.I agreed without hesitation and when Matt turned to lead the way I preformed a silent victory dance in his wake.When we arrived people were already there.We discovered that we could talk through the marble wall that encircled the memorial.That entertained the group until it was time to leave.Clusters of friends moved in packs onto their respective busses sharing interesting travel stories and entertaining experiences.As I made my way to my seat on the bus I recapped the events of my day.Everything from the Chinese lights to the Redding Terminal whizzed through my head, places that weren’t originally on my radar of places to visit somehow managed to cross my path and gave me a whole new perspective of a city with already so much history.
Philadelphia is a complex city that melds together the rich history of this country with present day American life. To truly understand Philadelphia, one needs to understand both the historical and modern aspects of the city. If one travels just to see the many historical sites, one might believe the city is ancient (in American terms) and just full of old buildings and cobblestone streets. However, visiting both the historic and modern areas will provide a true appreciation of the city of Philadelphia and everything it has to offer.
Philadelphia is famous for its numerous historical sites and its pivotal role in early American history. Many historical events, like the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the adoption of the Constitution, took place in what used to be the capital of the country. This city was also home to significant historical figures, like Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross. Many historic places are located in the Historic District of Philadelphia. In this district is the famous Liberty Bell, which is free for anyone to walk up and see. Just south of the Bell is Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed and where the Constitution was ratified. For an entrance fee, one can walk in the room where over 200 years ago historical figures such as John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were signing the Declaration of Independence. Both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are very popular, and depending on the day, the size of the crowds can vary from large to very small. The Constitution Center on Arch Street is an attraction in the Historic District that combines the historical elements of the city, but also shows how the country evolved into present day America. For $12.00, one can see exhibits such as a display that explains famous Supreme Court cases, and take a virtual “Oath of Office” for the Presidency. While many exhibits are permanent, new exhibits are added, including one on the influence of African Americans in America. The Constitution Center is reflective of Philadelphia because it brings together both the past and the present state of Philadelphia and the country.
Even though Philadelphia has a rich history, if a traveler were to only see the Historic District, he would be missing out on what the rest of the city has to offer. Directly across the street from City Hall, in the very center of the city, is home to some interesting modern art that is worth viewing. The first sculpture that stands out is a tower of bodies titled “Government of the People.” Around it are some friendlier statues of chess pieces and dominos which can be appealing for both adults and children. These sculptures are a contrast to the historic City Hall, built in 1909, that is across the street from them. Northeast of City Hall on Arch Street is the Reading Terminal Market, a place to get something to eat, and explore the city’s culture through food. This market has almost every food imaginable and even the pickiest eater can find something to eat. Many of the Amish from nearby Lancaster County set up their stands during the week to sell their fresh food. In my experience there, I found a great stand called Dinic’s where I purchased a large roast beef sandwich and was able to sit and watch a small band perform in the seating area while I ate. There are also some small shops, and just wandering around the old train terminal seeing the different shops can be entertaining. What makes the Reading Terminal unique is that it used as a market today, but in the past it was something very different. Before food and other supplies were sold there, the building used to be a train depot. It was a part of both the inner city and regional trains through the area, but in 1984 the terminal saw its final train.
Almost directly east of the Terminal is Philadelphia’s Chinatown, which is like stepping into another country. After crossing the colorful Friendship Gates that are three stories high, travelers will step into a colorful world full of hair salons and more Chinese restaurants then can be counted. It is not uncommon to see ducks hanging in almost every window when walking down the street. However, one store sticks out from the rest by having shoes hanging in its window along with fried duck. Abakus Take-out is open seven days a week and located on 10th street between Vine and Spring Street. This store uses a Chinese takeout/fast food theme to sell popular shoes, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. Wandering around the store, one can find small takeout boxes full of shoelaces, a deep frier filled with shoes and t-shirts, and a “take-out menu” with some information about the store. Secretly tucked away in Chinatown, this store would be easy to pass by, but it is definitely worth checking out even if one is not buying anything. Along with Philadelphia’s reputation for a rich history, it also offers a modern image of the country and people.
When looking for a place to travel, Philadelphia should definitely a destination because of its wide array of sites and experiences that are sure to please anyone. Visiting this city can give the traveler both a sense of where the country came from, and where it is today. In order to experience the “real” Philadelphia, one needs to be open minded, and willing to try a little of everything that Philadelphia has to offer. When considering a new and different destination to travel to, consider Philadelphia and its ability to combine both old and new ideas into one great experience.
I definitely can’t find three eggplants for a dollar in my backyard. Or five apples for $1.10, or ten peppers for $1.50. But that’s just what I found under the makeshift tents of the Italian Marketplace in the heart of Philadelphia.
Just across the river from the infamous Camden, New Jersey lies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With a current population of about 1.5 million people, Philadelphia served as the nation’s capitol immediately following the revolutionary war, and was the destination for many African Americans during the Great Migration northward in the early twentieth century.
As we arrived in Philadelphia on that Sunday morning, spring was just beginning to bloom. The sun was warm, and not a single cloud floated above our heads—we could not have picked a better day for our exploration of the City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia skyline in view, we crossed the Ben Franklin Bridge excited for the day ahead. William Penn watching over us from high atop City Hall, my travelling group exited the bus into the clatter of center-city Philadelphia.
We had our itinerary well-planned: we would begin by taking Market Street east to the Historic District. But somehow we made a wrong turn (my horrendous sense of direction at work yet again). As I brought out the map (I know…the mark of a lost tourist) to try to get my bearings in this new place, I heard shouting. Crowds of African Americans lingering after an AME church service stared, some even chuckling at the spectacle. A city-style battle, a complex concerto of horn and voice, played out on the road in front of us. The two women fought for several minutes, one in a car and one a pedestrian, much to the chagrin of the line of traffic beginning to build. As we walked out of hearing range, the woman in the car sped away huffily with a final blare of her horn. Welcome to Philadelphia, I thought to myself, must be the city of sisterly love too.
We walked several more blocks and found ourselves on the map. We arrived at the Historic District, expecting busloads of chattering tourists on such a beautiful Sunday. To our surprise, the area was nearly deserted. After having our bags sufficiently ruffled through by security, we walked uninhibited to the iconic Liberty Bell. Inside a glass room, the bell is out in the open, removed from the sticky hands of innumerable schoolchildren by only a rope and the willpower of a park ranger (the bell is kept by Liberty National Park). While there were no class trips that day, the ranger had brought a boy under the ropes to tell him about the bell. The boy, maybe five or six years old, was clearly delighted at his fortune to be standing somewhere where grownups weren’t even allowed to go, and though his understanding of the bell’s actual significance was probably minimal, his excitement was fun to watch nonetheless. After all the hubbub surrounding the Liberty Bell, the visit was somewhat anticlimactic (it is, after all, literally an historic bell with a crack in it); though seeing it without the crowd was an unexpected pleasure.
From the bell, we followed the foolproof, color-coded tourist signs to get to Franklin Court. Arguably Philadelphia’s most accomplished citizen, Benjamin Franklin made his home in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. The significance of the area in mind, we entered the courtyard behind his reconstructed home and shops, and found one lonely couple, cameras around their necks, wandering the flower-laced paths of history. Only some stones from the foundation remain of Franklin’s original dwellings, including, to my partner Maggie’s fascination, his privy pit. We wandered for just a short while through the underground Franklin museum, since its’ eerie emptiness was creepy (and besides, we were getting hungry).
With our spending capped at $21 for the day, we needed to keep lunch relatively cheap. We decided to make the long walk into the southern part of the city for authentic Philly cheese steaks. When we arrived at Geno’s Steaks, it was around 2 PM, and the line stretched all the way around the building. We staked out a spot in line and prepared ourselves for a long wait.
A couple with colorful tattoos cascading down their arms and backs stood ahead of us in line. They asked us how long we thought the wait would be, but we told them we didn’t know. The group behind us, a father and his three sons, bound by a strong family resemblance, responded that it would only be twenty-five minutes from this point, and that they knew well from experience. As their personalized Philadelphia Flyers jerseys verified, they were Flyers fanatics, and they came to Geno’s before every game. We turned back to the couple in front of us, who said they were vacationing in Philadelphia from Rhode Island for the food and the art. Before we knew it, half an hour had gone by and we were at the window to order. I had an “American without,” Geno’s lingo for a steak with American cheese and without onions. We sat on the orange picnic-like tables outside, and watched a little league baseball game that was going on across the street.
Walking back north towards the Waterfront District, we walked through the Italian Marketplace. Street vendors had set up shop for the morning, and were just beginning to close as we passed. Table after table of fresh produce, meat, and fish was laid out, advertised with small pickets sticking from each barrel. As we walked along, prices became cheaper and cheaper, but whether because of competition or decline in quality I’m not sure. In any case, the vibrant colors of the rows of apples, pineapples, zucchini, and eggplant seemed to breathe life into the neighborhood surrounding the open-air market. While the district is called the Italian Marketplace, we heard and saw more Spanish than Italian. The Hispanics represent now what the Italians used to: new immigrants looking to make a living in a new city, a new country.
We passed churches and parks along the way, in addition to residential areas. The homes and streets looked historic (some even had hitching posts!) yet livable, and flowering trees were in full bloom along the sidewalks. I had no idea that center city Philadelphia would be so picturesque. Along the way we wandered through the graveyard of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The stones were worn, and most of the older ones from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were illegible. An elderly gentleman with a British accent walked over and introduced himself as the guide. He gave us a brief history of the church, but said he had to be going as he needed to lock up for the day. We took this as our cue to head to the Vietnam War Memorial, where we would be picked up.
We rested for a few minutes at the memorial before heading back into New Jersey. Etched in the cool polished marble ellipse were the names of soldiers who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. Small American flags, flowers, and notes lined the walls of the memorial.
My feet aching from our long day of walking, I boarded the bus with the satisfied feeling of having seen, done, and felt a new place.
There are various numbers of places in the world we live. You discover these places when you travel. Discovering things and places that you have never seen or heard of would surprise you. As a citizen of this world, you should discover and learn about places that you are not familiar with. For me, this is one of the learning processes that I actually like. Travels and discoveries are huge parts of education.
One sunny Sunday morning in mid April, I left Peddie School in Hightstown and headed to unfamiliar city, Philadelphia. Worrying about the long walk in the city, my partners and I were dropped off at city hall. My partners, Maggie and Alyssa were very excited for the trip and came up with many plans. Visiting an unfamiliar place is always exciting. My group had many plans so we started walking as soon as we got off the bus. While we were walking, Maggie and Alyssa stared at the map, and I paid attention to people in the city as I followed them. The city was full of joy and everyone was joyful under the sun. The roads were filled up with many cars, taxis, and busses. While we were walking, we heard two women shouting at each other. “Move the damn car!!” “I’m not moving!! You better back off!!” Maggie, Alyssa, and I looked at each other and we were confused. I did not know what was causing the fight, but I thought it was funny because they were causing the traffic jam. With a little smile on my face, we started walking again.
Our first plan was to see the liberty bell. When we arrived there, we found out that the liberty bell is in the building. Before we were able to enter the building, there was security check that we had to go through. The security check made me think the liberty bell is a very important part of the American history. In the building, there were many pictures and words up on the wall. However, most people were surrounding the liberty bell. When I first saw it, I could not believe how close I was to the part of American history. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me, so I decided to keep the image in my mind. I took a good look at it, and we left the building.
Another historical place, Franklin Court was our next destination. The entrance was so vague that we almost missed it. When we entered the court, there was a big space surrounded by buildings. That is the place where Benjamin Franklin used to live. The actual house was taken down long time ago, but we were able to see the floors where Franklin’s kitchen, bathroom and other rooms used to be on. The bathroom made our group laugh because it was just a hole. After exploring Franklin’s house, we sat down and took notes. As we were writing notes, we saw a museum in the court, so we went in. It was a long to the underground until we saw the entrance of the museum. At the entrance, we saw things that belong to Benjamin Franklin such as his chairs, tables, glass instrument and so on. The woman, who was cleaning the glass instrument, told us that she just finished performing. I wanted to see the performance, but we had to wait for another two hours until the next performance. Disappointed about missing the performance, we went further in the museum. As we advanced further, we saw many phones lined up. On the wall in front, there were many names of people in history and numbers. I pressed the numbers which was next to Thomas Paine’s name. “Hello, this is Thomas Paine from the parliament…” I finally realized that I was calling Thomas Paine. I thought it was really amazing that you can call people who you have seen in history text books. While I was having conversation with Thomas Paine, I heard something from my back so I hanged up and turned around. There was a huge box which had many dolls of colonists in it. As I looked in the box, the lights in the box turned off. I realized that I missed another performance of the day. “What an unlucky day!!” I thought. With the disappointment, I left the box and walked around the room. There were many of Benjamin Franklin’s work in the room. There were letters to the parliament, and letters to other colonist leaders. After we walked around the room once, there was not much too see so we left the place.
I was excited when we left the museum because we were heading to Geno’s Steaks. I was excited and displeased at the same time because Geno’s Steaks was on the bottom of the map which was very far from where we were. Without any word, we just kept walking, walking, and walking. We had few words just to make sure we were going to the right direction, but nothing else. We did not talk much not only because we were walking a lot, but were also because we were observing the city. The city looked beautiful under the sunny weather. Everyone in the city was relaxed because it was Sunday. I totally loved the place. After the long walk, we saw a long line of people. I became little upset when I found out that all those people were waiting for the cheese steaks. We went all the way around the corner and lined up behind the last person on the line. We had nothing to do so we started taking notes. As I was taking notes, there were two people in front of us. Their bodies were covered with numerous numbers of tattoos. I tried not to make eye contact with them because I was nervous. However, Maggie spoke up and said “May we ask few questions for our class?” I was stunned. Actually, these people were very friendly and answered every one of our questions.
“Where are you from?” Maggie asked.
“Rhode Island” the tattoo man answered.
“Why did you come to Philadelphia?” Maggie asked again.
“We came to see the museums” the tattoo lady answered.
“Also to check out some motorcycles” the tattoo man added.
As we were talking, many motorcycles passed by the store. The man with tattoo looked at them and smirked as he smoked on his cigar. They were really loud and the sounds of motorcycles were killing my ears. We waited for about forty minutes, and finally ordered cheese steak. When I ordered, the man asked me if I wanted onions in the cheese steaks. I said “sure” although I never knew that you can put onions in cheese steaks. After we got our cheese steaks, we sat down and sighed because we were walking and standing the whole time. Alyssa said “It’s so nice to sit” and Maggie and I both agreed. I took a bite of the cheese steak. As I swallowed the first bite, I said to myself “I am definitely putting onions in cheese steaks next time”.
With our full filled stomachs, we headed back to north. We were all happy since we just ate the best cheese steaks. Maggie suddenly said that she wants to have a cup of ice cream so we stopped at a store as we were heading back. I saw milk shake on the menu, so I ordered it.
“May I get a milk shake please?” I said nicely.
“What?” the store keeper said.
“May I get a milk shake please?” I said it more clearly this time.
“We don’t have milk shake” the store keeper answered.
“But I saw it on the menu list” I told him.
“We don’t have it” the store keeper answered with frightening face.
“…Ok…” I just walked out the store as I answered.
I was in a bad mood since then. At least he could have told me nicely I thought. We continued our way to the north. Our next destination was St. Peter’s Church. When we got there, we were not sure at first because the entrance was graveyard. As we walked in further, we saw a church, so we went in. I do not usually go to churches besides Peddie’s, so it was fresh for me. The room was large. As we were taking a look at the church, an old man walked to us and said “May I help you?” We said we were there for the class. I supposed that the old man is the priest of the church. He told us that this is the Church of England, and it was given by the Paines. He also told us where George Washington used to sit. I was impressed that this church had been there since the period of thirteen colonies. After the explanations, we thanked him and left the church.
We decided to go to Vietnam War Memorial since it was almost pick up time. When we got there, there were already many people waiting for the bus. As I was waiting for the bus, I wrote down more notes. When we saw the Peddie bus, we ran across the street and got on it. Before I got on the bus, I took a last glance at the city, and took a picture with my eyes.
One thing I love about life is that everyday has an amazement of its own. If you find everyday life to be boring, you aren’t thinking about the delicious cheese steak you had for lunch or the bright sun warming your back. Sometimes a single day could surprise you to an extent that its memories will astonish you till days after.
On a distinct Sunday, without an exception, tens of people gathered in front of the Annenberg Science Center to travel to Philadelphia, home of the Philly Cheese Steak. There, we packed ourselves in two school buses with only a snack, a bottle of water, a map of Philadelphia, and twenty one dollars in hand. When we got off the bus at Philadelphia, what we had to trust was the itinerary the two of us made days prior to the trip.
Kate, as an inhabitant of New Jersey, and I, as a citizen of the Republic of Korea, were completely unfamiliar with the strange environment surrounding us at the east entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts. Unlike the quiet school we came from, the streets of Philadelphia were filled with cars and people. However, with our hand made itinerary and Google printed maps in hand, we ascended the grand steps of the Philadelphia Museum of arts with confidence. The first thing we were going to do was to visit and explore the Philadelphia Museum of arts, a museum filled with artifacts from centuries before. Because of our well planned itinerary, we were able to investigate these marvelous pieces of arts for a mere donation of five dollars. And with the sign “free admissions on Sunday” greeting us, Kate and I first went to the first floor exhibition hall. At the exhibition hall, magnificent drawings by Gogh, Cezanne, and Monet were hanging on the walls. Past these portraits were exhibitions of relatively modern art pieces. One piece that came in sight was a wall completely covered with sown leaves. If someone told me to sow leaves, I would regard it as a complete waste of time. Yet to others, the leaves became an artifact with significance. After circling the first floor once, Kate and I went upstairs to find what we had been looking for; the architectures of Buddhist arts. When we went into the exhibition, statues of hideous monsters were looking down on us. This seemed a bit odd to me, for it would be somewhat awkward to place Buddha in a dim lit path. With doubt, we proceeded on to the next room. As expected, the second room was in total contrast to the first room. A transparent roof allowed natural sunlight to brighten the whole room. Accompanying the natural sunlight were houses built with nature friendly materials. And in the center was a Buddha statue with a peaceful smile on its face. The Buddha statue itself was a magnificently sculpted piece. But when I saw the Buddha statue with its surroundings, the whole piece of art gave pleasure like nothing else. After examining every aspect of the Buddhist art hall I dragged my feet to the next exhibition. The next and final exhibition was a medieval weapon hall full of diverse weapons from a simple sword to and elaborated crossbow. With this final exhibit we headed outside for our next destination. While exiting the Philadelphia museum of art, I was once again amazed on how wonderful the Philadelphia museum is. Inside a single building were exhibitions from different times and places all over the world. Despite my thought that museums were a boring place to visit, prior knowledge allowed me to recognize the Philadelphia museum of Art as an remarkable place to visit.
Finishing a tour through the museum, Kate and I headed to our next destination, the Constitutional Center. However, by the time we were half way to the city hall we were forced to change our minds. After spending hours in the Philadelphia museum of arts, we had run out of energy to continue without food. To satisfy our dissatisfied stomachs, we changed our course to Pat’s, a famous Philly cheese steak house. After riding down a taxi down to Pat’s we went into line and got ourselves the famous Philadelphia Philly cheese Steaks. Although the contents of the cheese steak were only whip cheese and steak, the harmony of the two ingredients far surpassed my expectations. Despite the fact that I do not crave for cheese steaks, it’s taste was good enough that I had to go for seconds. After filling our stomachs with this magnificent delight, Kate and I were once again able to ‘hit the road.’
Than an event that proves that this unique Sunday is a truly amazing Sunday happened. While walking up the Italian market, we were able to meet Mike Clark, Justin Lee, and Mike’s aunt Sue in a car. Although Kate and I had never met Sue before, she was more than welcome to help us. As an inhabitant of Philadelphia, she kindly explained the historical sights at the Old town, which we were heading to. In addition to explaining, Sue, with her boyfriend Bob, drove us with Mike and Justin to the Old City. It is true that we were not able to walk through the streets of Philadelphia; however, more than just seeing something that passes by, we were able to make a new friendship that would last. In a matter of a few minutes, people who were strangers the same morning were now friends that same afternoon. It is simply amazing how foreign people can be friendly to people you have never seen before.
After being dropped off at Independence Visitor Center by Sue and Bob, Kate, Mike, Justin, and I spotted a carriage pulled by a horse named Truman. After finding out that the carriage would be cheaper with more people in it, the four of us boarded the carriage for a quick, yet incisive tour about the history of Philadelphia. During this twenty minute tour, we were able to see the First Supreme Court, the Second National Bank, Washington Square Park, and so on. By riding the carriage, we were able to see the many historical sights that we might have missed due to the lack of time. In addition, we were able to see the second largest jewel street in America and humorous locals. While riding the carriage down jewel road, a small child followed us with his four-wheeled bike shouting at us. At first, I found the child to be annoying, because he kept on bothering our peaceful tour. However, when I found out that the child was telling the jockey to stop hitting the horse, I let out a small laugh. Finishing the tour of Philadelphia with Truman, we headed to the Vietnam War Memorial, our final destination. This short walk was enjoyable in that we were able to connect the sites with the scenes in the movie The National Treasure. In one corridor, where there was a chasing scene, we took pictures together as though we were the characters in the movie looking for the national treasure. Soon enough, we were able to arrive at the Vietnam War Memorial and the yellow school bus waiting us.
On the school bus back home, I thought that another wonderful day had passed. A day that I would remember for days on; the diverse worlds inside the museum, the welcoming strangeness of others, and the historical sites that lasted centuries after its construction. I will remember all these as an exceptional Sunday of my life. An amazing Sunday I will never forget.
