Weekend Tourism

Am in Wilmington, Delaware, although I seem to have missed the expected chipper WELCOME TO OUR STATE sign at the border. Perhaps they are a little more understated here in wanting outsiders to visit than in the South... Or maybe it was the brightness of the sun through the few places you can actually see out of the silly Chevrolet (there are a great many dangerous blind spots in this vehicular travesty). I was also slightly distracted by my extreme relief whilst passing the Philadelphia Eagles stadium on my way out at 4.30 -- there was a massive herd of motor homes flying American flags (this signals a great American tradition known as tailgating, which involves consumption of copious amounts of beer and charred meat -- it is definitely something that all visitors should experience.) surrounding the stadium (due to a game with the Dallas Cowboys going on inside) and had I accidentally been in exodus traffic, I might have just broken down and had a tantrum on the side of the interstate. And this is never a good idea (although I did have a dream last night about being in jail for three days for arguing with a policeman -- there is no foundation in reality for this dream, Mama, it is just a bizarre note).

Saturday was a lovely day (in the experiential way for the first half). Upon exiting the overhang of the hotel walkway a few specks of drizzle hit my face, so insignificant that it took me about a block to be decisive that it was actually precipitation and not my imagination and the cold. At this point, decision was made to press on and not wilt from the very tiny amount of rain (as well as laziness to go back to room for hat). Approx. 2 blocks later, it had turned into full frontal drizzle and this proved my choice the incorrect one. Shelter was obtained in a posh kitchen shop, but I retained enough self-control and did not purchase any double-ended melon ballers or cocktail sticks shaped in little metal twirls. There does seem to be a new fashion in little mats created from thin twigs bound together, and I would like to point out that several people mocked me when I did this about 5 years ago. Who is laughing now? (Well, not me, since I am not the person making money on this endeavour. Hmph.)

Pootled around in the Olde City area, which is full of dodgy-looking delis, clever boutiques, Starbucks, and fascinating international food choices. Britishness is in the air, in architecture and cobbled streets, so of course I like it :) Only took photo of Betsy Ross House. Pootled on.

Found Penn's Landing, which has a large sculpture monument to Irish immigrants. Memorable thing I learned was that, not only did the English have enough food for the Potato Famine victims which they instead sold to Europe, but Queen Victoria's troops actually confiscated other food crops from the Irish by gunpoint. Other crops in Ireland were fine in those years, it was just the potatoes that were affected by the blight.

Walked past Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, but did not get tickets and visit (and was later shamed and chastised by the Mama for this unpatriotic negligence), choosing to make my way to the fascinatingly named, but less overwhelmingly fascinating, Antique Row. I mean, it is okay, but it is not the visual and musty-smelling orgy of old treasures one might have hoped for.

Made way back up towards hotel up South Broad towards City Hall, which is attractive focal point but a traffic nightmare. Was slightly distracted by going into Macy's for nothing more than a browse (merely to investigate if it was worth my while getting my little Visitor's 11% discount card. It was.). After retail therapy had to go in for a rest.

Got hoagie for dinner (instead of overpriced room service again) from Carmen's Famous Italian Hoagies. This is an extremely large sammich, and I ate the whole thing.

As result of verbal chastising, was out of hotel at 8.03am yesterday, at Independence Visitor Centre by 8.23am, and on the 9.00am tour of Independence Hall. The lady who checked my bag laughed and said, 'Oh! I see we are going to take a picture of the bear??' But of course!

Tour was very interesting, and I will add some commentary when pics are uploaded. A couple of things I learned:
* after the Declaration of Independence was finally decided upon in its final form on 4 July 1776, it was read aloud to a crowd of more than 2,000 people on 8 July (i think) in the gardens attached to the building (now called Independence Square), which is actually the State House of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. After the reading, a group of particularly excitable soldiers in the crowd, ran into the building, ripped the coat of arms of King George off the wall in the Crown courtroom, took it into the front street, stamped on it and then dragged it through the streets of Philadelphia for the day. That evening, it was thrown on a bonfire and burned. As the park ranger said, 'At this point, there was kind of no turning back.'
* Benjamin Franklin was 81 when the Constitution was signed, but he was present for every meeting of the Continental Congress during the composition of it.
* Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on 4 July 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration's acceptance.
* Thomas Jefferson had red hair.
* History continues to be officially incorrectly related, as slavery is put forth by the National Park Service as the only reason for the Civil War. While, it is evident that Abraham Lincoln was morally opposed to slavery, it is a little reported fact that he only freed slaves in 'the rebelling states', not wishing to risk his political foothold by removing such a huge source of revenue from his prime supporters.

Literally ran through Liberty Bell exhibit; took picture of it (Bear missed this one).

Five hours is a bit long for a college fair (esp. on a Sunday), but at least madness was incessant, and therefore extreme length was not utterly painful. Voice is scratchety today as result of yelling over mayhem. But it was fun, and almost all of my brochures were gone! I continue to do quite a bit of mentioning of Norwich School of Art and Design, and shall hope to be added to their staff listing as honorary admission counsellor :)