October 26, 2024 – Known as “The Cradle of Liberty,” Philadelphia made quite an impression. We only had two full days to explore the area, not nearly enough. We camped about hour away at beautiful Fish Creek State Park.
The least stressful way for us to visit super large cities like Philadelphia is to take a commuter train to the city, then hop on the subway or walk. We caught the train to Penn and Suburban Station and attempted to navigate the subway system, which is always a challenge at first.
One of my personal observations: for a huge city, the people in Philadelphia were extremely friendly (more so than their eastern neighbors, no offense to beautiful Boston.) We had lots of kind people help us find our way when we were turned around, including some helpful subway workers.
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States, where our Founding Fathers first declared independence, then debated and drafted the Constitution to form a new country.
The Liberty Bell features the inscription “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants therof.” The bell was adopted as a symbol by abolitionists trying to end slavery, and later by suffragists trying to secure womens’ right to vote.
Our next stop was the famous Reading Terminal Market. It’s a famous indoor farmer’s market with all types of shops and restaurants, and a gazillion people. We stopped for lunch and were completely overwhelmed by the crowds. We finally managed to order a sandwich and find a couple of chairs to sit and eat. Fun, but way too busy for us!
Next stop, the gorgeous Parkway Central Library, the jewel of the Free Library of Philadelphia system. It opened in 1927, and is gorgeous to explore.
Last but not least, we got to stop by the famous “Kansas City Chiefs” Bar in Philadelphia, Big Charlie’s Saloon. It is located in the center of “Eagles country” in South Philadelphia. For decades, Chiefs fans have been meeting here to cheer on the team.
The bar began as a tribute to the team after its owner won a large bet that the Chiefs would win the 1970 Super Bowl. The owner purchased a new bicycle for his son from his winnings. This son is now the current owner of Big Charlie’s and carries on the family’s tradition of love for the Chiefs.
Our Snail Tracks 
Leave a Reply