the Holidays: day five - Philadelphia

3/9/10


We started out our morning at Independence Hall.


Independence Hall.


Buddy and PS with Independence Hall.


Baby X with Independence Hall.


Pennsylvania Assembly Room in Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution were written, ratified and signed.


PS took our picture.


Congress Hall (next to Independence Hall)


The Liberty Bell. Horrible picture lighting. The sun was shining directly in the windows... and the other way, it's back lit, so none of our pictures with Liberty Bell turned out well.


The Bell.




PS took our picture again. I need to stop having a skeptical look on my face as she attempts to use the camera.


Declaration House where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on a lap desk (that we just saw at the Museum of American History a couple weeks ago).

Then we ate lunch at Reading Terminal. Mmmmmmmm. I can't believe I didn't take any pictures in here... I guess I was too busy taking it all in. The kids had YUMMY pizza. B got a pork sandwich from a different vendor. I had a beef and bean burrito from yet a different vendor, and nachos for the kids. Then B and Baby X walked around while I finished eating and brought us back cookies (chocolate dipped ones for the two bigger kids). YUM!


Benjamin Franklin's cemetery. I'm thinking this is the only time I've seen an entrance fee for a cemetery (we didn't pay to go in) and a gift shop at the entrance to a cemetery.





The joy of sticking a digital camera through the fence.


PS and Buddy wanted to be in a picture too.


One of the famous Americans Buddy is supposed to learn about in Kindergarten this year is Betsy Ross. And of course, PS wanted to see her house too since she's a girl and she sews.


They wanted a picture next to the Virginia colony marker on the fountain in Betsy Ross's courtyard.


Baby X and PS next to the gift shop to house corridor.


Betsy Ross's grave marker in the courtyard of her house.


PS and Buddy in front of her actual house. Buddy loved the tiny spiral staircases. $3 for adults, $2 for student. Baby X and B waited outside during our self-guided tour.



Elfreth's Alley is one of the oldest, continually inhabited residential streets in the United States, from the early 1700s. It is a National Historic Landmark. A few of the houses charge a fee to tour them, but most are private residences (some even for sale... I wonder how much they go for).


Looking back from the other end.





Christ's Church. One of the oldest churches in Philadelphia.


PS and Buddy in front of Christ's Church.


Market Street Houses at Franklin Court. Benjamin Franklin built three out of these five houses.


Cute Baby X peeking at me.


He was happy to be free from his stroller for a bit.


These frames mark where Franklin's house was built and there are windows to underground brick walls and foundations that were actually from the house. This is right outside the Benjamin Franklin National Park building where we watched an old Disney movie called "Ben and Me" (part 1 and part 2) about Benjamin Franklin and a mouse named Amos. The kids (Baby X included) loved this.


First Bank of the United States.


Independence Hall from the Second Bank of the United States.


Second Bank of the United States.


Buddy and PS inside Carpenter's Hall. This building hosted the first Continental Congress in 1774. Baby X and I stayed outside because he'd fallen asleep in the stroller, and strollers weren't allowed inside.

Then some gift shops and back to the car.


Thaddeus Kosciuszko's house. B wanted to see this but we ended up just driving past it this time.

We were on a mission to get Rita's Water Ices. Our friend Tiffany had told us how great they were, and once the kids figure out what they were, they hounded us for THREE DAYS about them. So, still full from lunch at Reading Terminal a few hours earlier, we found a Rita's Water Ice. The big kids got lemonade flavored. B and I got raspberry. And Baby X got vanilla because I wanted to try it. Yum.







The next stop was supposed to be either Pat's or Gino's... across the street from each other in south Philadelphia, they compete for the best Philly cheese steak sandwiches. We ended up just driving past because no matter how badly I wanted one, none of us had any room to eat anything else. We'll have to hit them next time. And maybe try making some at home... I'm thinking cheese whiz on a sandwich could taste fantastic, or strange and I want to find out which it is.