Pennsylvania - Day 10 - Philadelphia

Philadelphia Walmart, PA
Tuesday, 10 April 2018

Once again I spent time before I left mapping out where I wanted to go and how I would get there.  This time, the problem was precipitated by Gracie.  She started showing clear signs that she was about to be car sick, and I've learned that the way to prevent that is to get her out for a walk instantly.  Well, "instantly" in Philly traffic is a relative term and I got distracted from where I was while I started looking for a legal space to stop where I could also walk her.  I did, and we did, and all was okay until I tried to figure out where we were in relation to where I wanted to be.  I thought I had it, and I was wrong.  We ended up on a highway that didn't want to let us off, and once off didn't want to let us back on again.  But I'd learned my lesson about driving in this town and fairly confidently made our way back to where I wanted to be.  And we made it pretty well.  And I found a legal space to park on the street that only cost $3.00 for a 1-hour sticker.

I was only 2 or 3 blocks from the Reading Terminal Market, an easy walk.  It's amazing.  Indoors and it takes up about 2/3 of a city block.  Inside it's divided into "streets" that are labeled, and the exit doors are labeled as to where they are, so it's fairly easy to navigate, even though there's SO MUCH inside there.

Reading Terminal Market
There're at least 2 seafood vendors, several meat markets, a Lancaster County booth that sells homemade popcorn, jams, pickles - including pickled dill brussel sprouts.  I swear.  There's a place that sells pretzels, including breakfast pretzel rollups, at least 2 candy shops, a place that sells bee products, and several bakeries.  I fell for a warm pecan sticky bun that cost $2.25 and was worth every penny.

There're many restaurant-type places, but most operate like a food court at a mall, and there're a bunch of tables where quite a few people where drinking coffee and eating breakfast.  I saw at least one business meeting going on.

There's Keven Parker's Soul Food Cafe, serving the Food Network designated Best Fried Chicken.  3 pieces + 1 roll + 1 side = $10.00.  Or a thigh for $3.00.  I had Walmart fried chicken last night for supper so I was a little off chicken this morning.  There was a place that served falafel, a Chinese place, a BBQ ribs place, a Down Home diner place.  

Mushroom & Co. sold nothing but their own mushrooms.  In this photo, from left to right are Grey Oyster, Maitake, King Oyster, and Lion's Mane.  And they offer recipes for the various types.  Odd looking things.

There was a shop that sold handmade olive oils and vinegars, several that sold their own cheeses, and a bookshop.

Several of the places - especially the bakeries - were operated by Amish women.  I talked to one who said she lives in Lancaster County and likes it there because it's quiet.

I bought a dozen fresh eggs for $3.00 from a guy who said he's lived in Philly for 6 years and loves it.  He lives in the Arts District, and that's his favorite part of living here.  He was a little sullen until I started asking him questions and then he brightened right up.  Maybe he's slow in the mornings.

When I got back to the RV, my time was exactly up but the dogs were bouncing around asking for a walk so I decided we'd take a quick one.  That was almost a big mistake because the only way to get them in and out is through the main cabin door.  Well, I was parked on the left side of the street, so the main door opened into a lane of traffic.  I thought I had it timed right, but Gracie suddenly got spooked and didn't want to come out, and just at that moment the traffic started up again and Dexter and I were pinned against the side of the RV while I held the door closed with Gracie on the inside.  Finally the cars had a red light and I got Gracie to come out.  Then we did it all over again getting back in.  But they got to walk around smelling Philly smells.

Post Office
I needed to go to an actual post office and located one online, and I could see they didn't have a handy parking lot attached.  But I got lucky and found a legal spot only 3 blocks away.  When I walked into the PO, right away I had to turn and walk up some stairs - a little like a split-level house.  And upstairs was the regular post office, except the employees had bullet-proof glass in front of them.  They were very helpful and cheerful, though, and I got my business done, and then I asked if they'd had a lot of trouble, if that's why they had that glass.  The woman said no, long ago it was open all night, and at that time they did have a little trouble so they had to install that glass.  Then the building got declared a historic building so nothing could be changed about it, so the glass stayed even though it's no longer needed.  It was sure intimidating.  But the people were nice.



Philadelphia Cheesesteak

I walked the dogs around the block again before I went to buy my brunch.  This is what a real Philly cheesesteak looks like: it's from Geno's Steaks, one of the 2 that claim to have invented it.  I ordered mine with provolone and onions, and it was wonderful.  It was also huge - maybe 9" long - this photo doesn't really show it.  And it was so good I'd only intended to eat half of it and instead ate almost all of it.  I managed to stop myself at the last minute and gave the dogs the last bits of meat.

The woman who took my order told me she's lived in Philadelphia all her life and she loves it.  What she likes most is being able to walk everywhere, and she prefers living in South Philly, where it's calmer than in the main part of town, but town is still right there.

Rodin Museum
The dogs insisted on another walk and the Rodin Museum sits on a grassy landscaped small city block, so I knuckled under.  This time we had the same exit problem but I was now experienced in getting in and out in time with the traffic.  Other people walk their dogs in that park, so I had to keep a close eye on them.  Then I went back with my camera.  You can almost see the RV on the right.  A man told me those are birch trees - the grounds are full of them, and they look quite old.

A plaque told me Rodin originally sculpted "The Thinker" in 1880 to put at the top of his Gates of Hell sculpture.  In 1902 he decided to enlarge it, and in 1919 cast it in bronze.  This is indeed the original.

I knew that the museum was closed on Tuesdays, but I forgot that today is a Tuesday.  I apologized very contritely to the guard I disturbed when I was trying to get in.  So this is all I got to see.  Probably just as well since I don't know enough to really appreciate what he did.  But you don't have to know much to appreciate this.  Can you imagine this guy at the top of the Gates of Hell?

Laurel Hill Cemetery

notice the porcupine on the wall

people knew how to honor their dead

I never saw a cross like this before

This cemetery was founded in 1836 and was only the 2nd rural cemetery in the country.  All the others had been set up in towns.  And with the press of increasing population, sometimes people's graves would get built over, or they'd get dumped into communal graves.  So much for eternal rest.  That was the impetus for this one being built out of town - well, what was then out of town.  Now it's smack in the middle of town, but lots of park land has been preserved all around it.

a grave for a Confederate soldier

I also saw a grave for a man whose epitaph read: "A patriot of the Revolution, a usefull [sic] citizen, and an honest man."  You can't really ask for a better epitaph than that.

Tomorrow will be mostly for driving.  I'd originally intended my route to be in a different order, and that's how I made my campground reservations.  It was the weather that interfered.  But it costs too much to change my reservations so tomorrow I'm driving across most of the state.  Fortunately, Pennsylvania only ranks 33rd in size among US states, so it's not like driving across Texas.

The weather's supposed to be improving immensely for the weekend - at least it is here - I don't know what it's supposed to do in the southwestern part of the state.  Hopefully the snow is finally gone.  On the weather report this morning, they said we've skipped so much of the usual spring progression that they're forecasting both the early pollen producers and the late pollen producers all producing at once and making this a year for allergy sufferers to remember.  There's always something for everyone.