Well, here I am, back in 30th street station. My train back to DC leaves in about 50 minutes. I scored about 100 pictures, only about 20 from today. Yesterday, I took a lot of pictures just walking around the Franklin Institute. I got a lot of them within the King Tut exhibit.
After I checked out of the hotel this morning, I went down to Independence Hall, officially called the Pennsylvania State House. (Well, first, I got breakfast at a restaurant in the Bourse.) I’m kind of an American history aficionado, so it was very humbling to know that I was walking the same halls as the men that created this country. It’s the same feeling I get when I go to the National Archives in DC to read the declaration and the constitution.
After Independence Hall, I crossed the street to see the Liberty Bell, which is a lot smaller than I thought it would be (as these kinds of things always are). There was a group of middle or high schoolers going through being guided by someone in period clothing.
I also visited something called Lights of Liberty, which, starting in April, gives night tours of the area using lasers to color the historic buildings. I walked from there to the local branch of the National Archives, which mostly houses genealogy records. It is definitely nothing like our National Archives, but it was somewhat interesting.
From there I walked up to Market Street, where I got my required Philly cheesesteak from a street vendor. It was really good, but then again, I think the last one I had was from a high school cafeteria.
Finally, I walked to the subway station, and after some confusion as to where to go, I caught the train here to 30th Street Station where I’m waiting for train 171 to Washington.
It’s been a really fun trip. I wish I had more time to see everything. I missed the US Mint, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Chinatown, but all in all I think I saw a lot for a two-day trip. I can’t wait to get back home in my own bed, and my own town, Washington, the District of Columbia.
