Pennsyvania - Business Office 1

Penn Station, inwards New York, is appropriately named. We’re leaving hither for Pennsylvania today. The station itself is a rabbit warren of a maze, specially if you’re inwards a wheelchair looking for that elusive ramp or elevator to the following level. While Grand Central Station is massive, amongst soaring ceilings, rock walls, too magnificent artwork, Penn Station is cramped amongst depression ceilings, dry out wall, too has all the charm of the post office.

It’s difficult to navigate our agency through. Penn Station has notoriously bad signage, too it takes us a brace of laps to figure out where we’re going. We finally unwrap the Amtrak ticket counter too lounge too also have the bad intelligence that at that spot volition last no checked baggage on this train. Our big suitcase (we all part i big suitcase along amongst each of our pocket-sized carryons…you but can’t avoid checked baggage amongst a wheelchair) volition have got to ride amongst us.

Once the hectic measuring is done too nosotros board our train, amongst the aid of Amtrak’s staff too a wheelchair lift, it’s a quick, 75 infinitesimal ride through the “scenic” wonders of New Bailiwick of Jersey to the station inwards Philadelphia.

We pick upwardly our rental car, a Suzuki Grand Vitara…which my married adult woman keeps calling the Grand Viagra. It’s doable amongst a manual chair too is non also difficult to transfer Tim into the forepart rider seat. It is pretty stained due to sitting nether a wet, rusty roof inwards the parking lot. As long every bit it runs well, which it does.

We caput due west out of Philly to our finish of West Chester. Our intention is to remain inwards this quieter suburb too have got the develop into Philadelphia for sightseeing too activities. Arriving at the West Chester Microtel, nosotros notice a lot of structure going on. We booked Microtel because y'all tin guarantee a roll-in shower on their spider web site. I had called the calendar week earlier to confirm that. However…

We are told that the lady staying inwards the room nosotros had booked does non desire to go out too that at that spot is naught the hotel tin do. Funny, because I recollect existence told “no” inwards no uncertain price in i trial when I wanted to extend my remain because individual else had booked that detail room.

What to exercise now...I was offered some other room at the hotel but at that spot was no other accessible room that nosotros could use. I was adamant that it had to last accessible, Tim needed somewhere to bathe. The managing director offered to lay us upwardly at some other nearby hotel. I agreed every bit long every bit it was an accessible room.

The “best he could do” was the Microtel at the Philadelphia airport. I told him that I specifically avoided that location because I did non desire to last nigh the airport…which was also non closed to where nosotros were. I was told it’s entirely a xxx infinitesimal drive too basically “take it or go out it.”

A 2-hour drive afterwards puts us every bit the Microtel, Philadelphia airport. Indeed, it was an accessible room amongst roll-in shower too a skillful staff. The whole experience, specially when I complained to the corporate role too the managing director of the West Chester location e-mailed me back, angry that I had complained when they had “done so much” to arrange us, lay me off of the Microtel brand…which unremarkably comes highly recommended yesteryear travelers amongst special needs.

Bad hotel experience behind us, nosotros determine to taste what nosotros can. It’s a Th morning, so nosotros determine to have got a drive some the urban nitty-gritty to reckon what nosotros tin unwrap earlier nosotros become to our ball game.

We’re driving around, but southward of downtown, when nosotros create a random plough too unwrap blocks total of onetime looking stalls looking similar something from Little Italy some the plough of the 20th century. It’s looks real interesting, so nosotros green too get walking around. It turns out that nosotros stumbled onto the Italian Market (forgive me, but I’d never heard of it before), a marvelous house amongst many old-time grocers, meat markets, cheese shops, fish mongers, bookstores, too restaurants spilling out into their stalls inwards the street. We unwrap a house that sells pizza for breakfast (!), have got a brace of slices along amongst donuts too coffee.

It’s a lot of fun but exploring. We become into a nearby butcher shop, D’ Angelo Brothers, too acquire some dried meat for later. I inquire the lady working behind the counter what the bargain is amongst this neighborhood too she explains to me that it has changed relatively footling over the finally 100 years or so. Families nonetheless run their businesses, every bit theirs does, existence passed downwards through the generations. She shows me a butcher block, worn downwards into curves, that has been inwards continuous occupation for over a century.

What a fascinating place. We cash inwards one's chips on on looking inwards all the shops.

Come game time, nosotros caput fifty-fifty further southward to Citizens Bank Park, abode of the Phillies. It’s a 24-hour interval game versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. Being an Angel fan, Tim despises the Dodgers so he finds it slow to root for the abode team. I’m pretty much indifferent almost L.A.’s team. I liked them when they were owned yesteryear the O’ Malleys; lost some enthusiasm when Fox ran the team; too can’t stand upwardly the ownership squad of the McCourts so I heartily cheered the Phillies on too.  Our seats were inwards the 2d deck, inwards correct field, on a direct draw amongst 2d too 3rd base.

Being at the top row of that level, nosotros were shaded on what turned out to last a hot too humid day. Surrounded yesteryear v nutrient stands, a souvenir shop, too nearby restrooms, nosotros were set.

We had a dandy thought too hung out amongst some dandy Philly fans that were gracious too friendly amongst the out-of-towners. The staff was friendly too. We had some dandy ushers who kept our expanse clear too told us where the best nutrient inwards the stadium was.

The "Pool Suite" at Citizen's Bank Park

Unfortunately, our cheering didn’t go because the Phillies went downwards to the Dodgers that 24-hour interval but they’d rebound to create the playoffs too and so have got the World Series the following season.

That game ended this trip’s baseball game stadium bespeak amongst 3 to a greater extent than stadiums added to the list; Yankee, Shea, too similar a shot Citizens Bank Park.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia

Bobak Ha'Eri nether CC-BY-SA license

After the game, nosotros had a choice to make...Pat’s or Geno’s. We create our agency N a ways to unwrap the oculus of the cheese steak universe on the corner of ninth Street too Passyunk Avenue. The 2 Philly Cheese steak legends duke it across the street from each other…Pat’s a variety of plain-Jane looking stand upwardly piece Geno’s is a garish neon outpost that I don’t dubiety tin last seen from space.

Pat's too Geno's

Which i to choose? They both have got their fans too detractors too both seem to last skillful so it came downwards to which i has the shortest line. At this time, that would last Geno’s so off nosotros went.

Ordering at either of these places tin last intimidating. Signs are posted on how just to order. Kind of inwards a Soup Nazi way, y'all create your agency to the foremost window where y'all social club your sandwich too y'all must last ready. Know what y'all want…steak sandwich; cheese type (provolone, wiz…cheese wiz, or American); wid (with onions) or widout. People who are indecisive are sent to the dorsum of the draw to get over. After the sandwich window y'all become to an following window to acquire your drinks too fries.

At Geno’s, y'all are also faced amongst signs that proclaim that this is America, when ordering “speak English,” which has caused no shortage of argument (and gratuitous publicity) inwards this town. Owner Joe Vento says his theatre unit of measurement had to acquire the linguistic communication when they came to America too encourages others to exercise the same. Despite the sign, he says he’s never refused anybody service due to their linguistic communication but says that he can’t guarantee their social club volition last correct if they don’t.

Once yesteryear the intimidating gauntlet of procuring your food, y'all have got it to i of the outdoor tables too dig in. It is a delicious, juicy, cheesy, greasy pile of sliced rib oculus on a bun. I have got no domestic dog inwards this fight, so if y'all are lay off yesteryear Geno’s English linguistic communication bias, endeavor Pat’s across the street where y'all but have got to run the same drill inwards ordering. It’s a Philly affair too despite the intimidation factor, the people at that spot are nice. Go for the unique experience too the delicious sandwich.

Across the street from our hotel is a station for the SEPTA commuter train. The following morning time nosotros go out the auto behind too have got the develop into the city. At the Reading Station, nosotros acquire breakfast at the following Reading Market which is an expansive indoor marketplace amongst arrive at sellers, butchers, meats, too more…kind of similar an updated Italian Market. They have got an Amish themed “Pennsylvania Dutch” department where nosotros have got some unbelievably skillful soft pretzels.

One to a greater extent than halt on the draw puts us at Independence National Historical Park. Here is where y'all become to reckon Independence Hall too the Liberty Bell.

At the visitor’s center, nosotros pick upwardly our gratuitous tickets for a tour of Independence Hall. We have got almost an hr to hold off (each ticket is skillful for a specific time), so nosotros caput across the street to Christ Church Burial Ground to unwrap the grave of Benjamin Franklin. There are also 4 other signers of the Declaration of Independence buried here. We pay the $5 admission to acquire in, entirely to unwrap that Franklin’s grave is correct following to the fence…we didn’t require to become inwards to reckon it. It is covered amongst pennies from people who toss them on every bit a tribute to him…a penny saved is a penny earned.

Franklin's Grave

Wandering through the cemetery, I notice a fresh grave. I inquire the caretaker if they nonetheless bury people here. Yes they do, although it is but for people who have got already bought plots. They are selling no to a greater extent than but he said they’d create an exception if individual notable similar a US president wanted to last buried here.

It’s time, so nosotros caput over to Independence Hall for our tour. There is a safety betoken manned yesteryear some real dainty too patient people who become through every nook too cranny of your bags earlier passing y'all through the metallic detector.

This is Where It Happened

Inside, nosotros are Pb yesteryear a ranger on a tour of the onetime courtroom which is across the hall from the coming together room where the Continental Congress met, drafted, too signed the Declaration of Independence. Of course, y'all tin but experience the history oozing throughout fifty-fifty though most of the room is recreated. George Washington’s Dominicus chair at the top of the podium is the existent bargain though.

The tour continues upstairs too Letty goes on upwardly piece Tim too I hold off below due to the inaccessibility. We are shown a photograph album of what is upstairs piece a ranger explains it to us.

When the tour is over, nosotros wander some the shady grounds for a chip too explore the surrounding historic neighborhood. It is nonetheless hot too humid too I tin imagine how our founding fathers must have got felt without AC inwards the kickoff of summer.

Across the street, nosotros become too reckon the Liberty Bell, which is inwards its ain display building. Another safety betoken must last negotiated earlier y'all reckon this but it requires no tickets or advance notice to see.

Our afternoon of history over, nosotros wander over to the Delaware River, separating us from New Jersey, too unwrap a Belgian pub amongst some great, refreshing brews to aid cool us off earlier going dorsum to our hotel.

And amongst that, we’re done amongst Philadelphia. Part 2 follows below and we go to the solid soil fourth dimension forgot, Lancaster too Amish country.

-Darryl
Copyright 2010 - Darryl Musick