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Mike Leco · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:52 pm Post subject: Philadelphia

I was in Philadelphia this week and I had a few hours to spare, so I visited Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. The bell has been moved into its new Liberty Bell Visitor Center across the street from Independence Hall. lf you want to see the Liberty Bell, you must first pass through a security check point with its metal detectors. it does not cost anything to see it and you can generally get in after a short wait to get through the security check. You can also walk around the outside of Independence Hall and enter a few of the side buildings. If you wish to see the inside of Independence Hall, you must join a guided tour. The only way to join a tour is to go to the main visitor center one block away, and get a free timed ticket that allows you to join a tour at a specific time. Those tickets were in great demand, and were all given out by mid morning. If you want to visit the inside of Independence Hall, you better go to the visitor center early in the morning to get one of the tickets, then return later in the day to join your reserved tour.

One of the great new additions to this historic part of Philadelphia was the presense of costumed characters and story tellers scattered about the neighborhood. All around the Liberty Bell Plaza and the nearby streets and inside some of the attractions, you could find characters dressed in eighteenth century costumes. Some of them were playing eighteenth century musical instruments or engaged in eighteenth century crafts. Some of them were stationed at a dozen or so story-telling benches. Others were just wandering around greeting the tourists and discussing eigteenth century life in colonial Philadelphia.

i met Benjamin Franklin in the visitor center and he directed me to the best historical attractions in the nearby neighborhood. I chatted with a lute player that demonstrated the use of his instrument. I saw Betsy Ross making the first American flag at her home, and I was nearly accosted by a highwayman in a black cloak brandishing a sword and flintlock pistol. It was very entertaining and educational. Great fun for the children and adults as well. I learned that the city of Philadelphia employs 40 actors and actresses to portray revolutionary war characters. All of them are well versed in the history and culture of the period and are eager to answer questions and tell stories. It is a wonderful addition to the Philadelphia tourist attractions.

If you are driving down the East Coast of the USA, along Interstate 95 from Boston or New York to Atlanta or Miami, you will go right past downtown Philadelphia. It is a good place to stop and learn something of the American Revolutionary period. It is only 2 hours south of New York City or 3 to 4 hours north of Baltimore and Washington DC.

A few blocks from Liberty Bell Center, I indulged in another famous Philadelphia attraction. I stopped at a sandwich shop and had an authentic Philly Cheese Steak. Shaved steak is fried with onions, green peppers and onions, stacked on a bagette, covered with melted provolone cheese and a bit of marinara sauce and served as a mouth-watering delicious sandwich.

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Philadelphia

06-08-2007 5:07 PM

Philadelphia