While in Philly...

Wow! Philly... I'd not been there since something like 8th grade? It isn't the city that I remember. It is cleaner! Yeppers... cleaner! There are other changes to the city, such as the Liberty Bell is no longer to be found on the green in front of Independence Hall. The Bell is now in its own building, protected from the elements and from those who would take pleasure in harming her. Good idea, but sad. One can no longer touch the Bell or see her up close. You can only view her from behind glass. For more info on the Bell, please see: Liberty Bell Center.

Another change from when I was last there revolves around the change to their public transportation. You can pretty much get anywhere in the city by regional, commuter train. They also have ferries that cross the river between the city and Camden, NJ. A commuter pass allows you to use the busses, subway and regional trains for the week at a discounted rate. One pretty much doesn't need a car! I liked it! We used trains, shuttles, ferries, taxicabs & busses to go everywhere! It was great!

We went to Philly for my husband's annual reunion for his old ship, the USS Joseph Hewes (DE 1078). A fair number of his shipmates and the ship's officers were there, including the ship's Executive Officer (XO), CDR Joe Famme (retired). Mr. Famme ranks right up there as one of my favorite people. Those who attended the reunion had several options of things to do while there. The only thing that was really an organized event was the presentation to the New Jersey museum and the memorial to the ship's crewmembers who are no longer with us.  Honoring them in this way, keeps them with us always.

Some other places we visited in Philly was their Maritime museum, which features the ship, USS Olympia C-6, which served as Adm Dewey's flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay, and a WW2 submarine. Yep... went on both of them.  The Olympia is in need of restoration but, even so, she is a lovely ship and a very important piece of our history.  Rumor has it that the city is planning on scrapping her as they say they cannot afford to keep her.  That is criminal!  This vessel is a National Historic Landmark.  She is the last of her kind and she was launched in 1892. While we were there, volunteers were working on her, trying to restore her little by little.  It would be a great shame to lose this ship.  The volunteers and I am strongly urging people to write their congressmen about her.  With all the money they are divvying out, perhaps they can divert a smidge her way.  Let's see if we can raise the needed funds to save her.

I am so ashamed of myself.  While on this trip, I ate way too much food - real Philly cheesesteaks, crabcakes, fried shrimp, pizza, crab soup, more cheesesteaks....  Anyway, today, I joined WeightWatchers to lose those pounds that I gained.  Oh well...  The food in Philly & Baltimore is fantastic!