I got back from Alaska Wednesday morning and flew into Philly Thursday afternoon (I won’t return to Florida for another four months). My cousin Shawn picked me up from the airport and we immediately drove to the famous cheesesteak corner: Pats and Genos. I ended up eating two full cheesesteaks as my cousin revoked his offer to split them with me. I say Pats > Genos! Friday morning, I took a train to the city center. First up was to go explore U Penn and Drexel- I love visiting universities in different cities! I walked through my Dad’s old fraternity house (Apple Pi) and visited the Wharton College of Business. Along my way to the historic part of town, I found free food and party music at the city hall. The event was to celebrate the Mayor’s birthday and it was really fun talking with locals at this party. I walked down 6th, 5th, and 4th street to explore the iconic Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Tomb of the Unnamed Soldier, Second Bank of America, and the Carpenter’s Historic Hall.
The next day, I visited the art museum with the famous steps from “Rocky”. The museum was impressive! Next, we visited the brand new American Revolution museum. The history of our great country is fascinating to say the least, I highly recommend exploring it. Shawn and I stopped at a local bar to chat before heading back home to Malvern (about 45 minutes from the city). That night, we celebrated my younger cousin’s birthday at the carnival! The little kids wanted me to go on every ride with them . The only thing missing from my Philly experience was going to watch a Phillies game. We planned on scalping tickets but then found out the game was in Milwaukee! I’ve been a Phillies and Eagles fan my whole life and was happy to finally visit my Dad’s hometown.
Duration
3 days
Accommodation
Cousin’s house (4 nights)
Favorite Food
Pats Cheesesteak!
Favorite Site
Art museum
Cool Person I Met
Angelo. Angelo grew up in Philly, moved to Dallas for work, and now recently returned to Philly to be with his family. We mostly talked about the importance of family and about Philly’s culture. He mentioned how the city has a fairly large homeless population and that most of them unfortunately have legitimate issues. Angelo is so proud of his city and mentioned how it is the “city of brotherly love”.
Highlight
After hearing music from a distance, I passed through city hall on my way to the historic district. Best decision ever! This party was wedged in a circle between tall government buildings. The people in attendance had different backgrounds, skin color, and perspectives. Did I mention there was tons of free food and dancing? I enjoyed a hot dog, burger, chips, and a soft pretzel. It was a special community event I had never seen before.
Big Takeaway
Buildings are cool, but have become old and dull. This truth is literal and in my experience, also metaphysical. This thought comes to mind since I’ve drooled over much architectural genius around the world: the US, Colombia, South Africa, France, England, and Scotland. My conclusion to all this might seem premature because compared to the veteran traveler, I haven’t seen much yet. Nevertheless, I have a feeling that each new extravagant building I see appears slightly less impressive or magical, like the law of diminishing returns.
It’s insane that in four months’ time, I would have gazed upon the Eiffel Tower, Giza Pyramids, Parthenon, Taj Mahal, and many other man-made wonders. I don’t want to look irreverently at a work of art, which I know took years to imagine and create. Here are two solutions I’ve found to combat this reality- First, learn more about a building’s history and context. Often times, these buildings are meaningful to locals because they represent a profound, deeper truth. Second, focus more on enjoying time with people as compared to time staring at buildings. My greatest joy in traveling yet, has been the time spent learning culture and perspective from the locals. By focusing on enjoying time with people, I’ll inevitably see the cool touristy things along the way.
Your Turn
What part of American history most interests you?
What’s your favorite thing to do in Philly?
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