A Lot Of Memeories On A Misty Morning Walk Through The Streets Of Philadelphia.

A steady, heavy  rain fell Saturday night during  my recent stay in Philadelphia my favorite, and in my opinion,  the greatest city in the world. I was staying at the Double Tree hotel on Broad Street where I watched the Eagles Super Bowl parade on Friday. Despite the rain , loud Eagles chats still echoed from the streets below my room throughout the night.  A lot of fans were still celebrating in the city two days after  the parade.

 

I brought my rain gear on my trip, I always do.  So, during the night, was planning on taking a 5 mile hike through  the city in the rain in the morning. .  I wanted to leave  the city early.   Snow was in the forecast for later  in the day and I wanted to get to my home  in Luzerne County before the rain  changed back  to snow.  When I awoke around 6:30 a.m. the heavy rain had stopped.  I watched the local  forecast and it looked like there would be a couple of hours break in the heavy  rain.  After a cup of coffee  I  left the hotel and was back on the dark  and familiar streets of Philadelphia.

 

 

 

The barrier fences from the Super Bowl parade still were stacked along  Broad Street. The city did a great job cleaning the thrash and debris left by the million Eagles fans who attended the parade.

Most of my stays in Philadelphia were at the Marriott. It was  next to the Convention Center.  I attended the  Estate Law seminar for any years, It was  held for two days in November. I would walk down Market Street to Independence Hall early in  morning before my seminar.  I loved watching the city awaken in the early morning. This wet and dreary morning I left my hotel on Broad Street and walked  toward Independence Hall on Locust Street. On a weekday it would be bustling with utility, delivery and thrash trucks on the streets.  Early workers and students  would be walking the streets. It was Sunday and it was  very quiet.

 

 

 

The drizzle turned into a light rain as I walked pretty much alone on Locust Street, encountering just a few homeless persons roaming the streets.

 

I walked down Locust Street to 11th Street and followed it to Walnut Street.

I remembered walking past Jefferson University in the early morning and evenings  many times on my visits to Philadelphia.

 

I remembered seeing the students, doctors and nurses walking to the hospital and classes. It was quiet since it was a Sunday morning but I did see a few people, some in medical uniforms walking the still dark streets.

I walked a few blocks and came to Washington Square one of the five original squares included in the original grid of the city in 1687 for William Penn by the surveyor Thomas Holme.

I walked past here many times but never explored the park. I did on this rainy February morning and, as always, was glad I did.I learned that many Revolutionary War soldiers, prisoners of the British, were buried here. This park was , essentially, a cemetery. I often visit cemeteries on my travel and reflect on the lives of the people buried there. I did here and thanked the soldiers for their sacrifice for our freedom

 

I also found this interesting stone marker. A tree from a seed that went to the moon was planted here, twice. Both died but what an interesting story. There is so much to learn roaming the streets of a city, keeping your eyes peeled.

 

I left the square and in a few blocked I was  at one of my favorite places on the planet, officially known as the Independence Hall World Heritage Site.   It was here our Nation was born.  Great men, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and many others declared our Independence with those famous words. ” All Men Are Created Equal”.Later  a  Constitution was drafted  outlining and limiting the power of government and  enshrining a Bill of Rights.

I was taught about the historic story of our Nation’s  fight for independence  from an early age.  In writing this blog I was  recalling when  my first memory of about the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence   I then remembered this cartoon, Hector Heathcote ,  I remember watching it before I was even in the first grade. It has been 60 years since I saw this cartoon character . Hard to believe.But it also reminds me of more Philadelphia memories. We had a television antenna on our roof and sometimes got a snowy, wavy pictures fro m Chanel 6 in Philadelphia. I watched Sally Star, Cheif Halftown and  the Joey Bishop show, and commercials about Philadelphia before I was in elementary school. 

 

 

I learned more about the Revolutionary War in elementary and high school . My first visit  to Independence Hall was when I wuss in high school. It was with  my mom and  younger brother’s  on his Cub Scout bus  trip. Since then I have  made many visits to this sacred ground while in Philadelphia attending legal seminars.Before the terrorist attack on 9/11 I was able to sit on the steps in front of this historic building and reflect on the great men who walked through the doors and debated, and finally agreed, to sign the Declaration of Independence and then, a few years later our Constitution.. I still get goose bumps when I seen this building.

 

I’ll never forget one cold November morning standing on the steps of Independence Hall , with a crescent moon and brilliant Venus shining in the morning twilight while I talked with my dad on one of my first cell phones.

Since 9/11 you can not get that close to this historic building. So I  got as close as I could to the fenced area and I reflected on the great men and events that occurred here. I wondered  what our Founding Fathers   would think about the current state of the Nation they created. I don’t think they’d be to happy.

 

Next to Independence Hall is  historic   Library  Hall that was built in 1790.

The Benjamin  Franklin statue  on the front of the building was showing it’s  support for the Eagles.  I continued my  walk in a light rain around  this  historic  area.

The last  time I was in this historic district I took a ride on a carriage drawn by a horse named Luke with an ex-girlfriend. We met my nephew and had a few beers in Paddy’s Pub the  famous bar from the show Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

When I first started staying   overnight in Philadelphia, over 30 years ago, I would always eat at the famous Bookbinders Restaurant  nearby on Walnut Street. It opened in 1893 and was famous for it’s snapper soup and lobster, both of which I enjoyed. The restaurant had photos of the hundreds of famous people who dined there ranging from the  Three Stooges to almost all of Presidents in office while it was open. I remember one visit when we were told President George W Bush dined there the previous day and was served by our waiter. More great memories of my favorite city .

I  continued my hike in a light rain and walked past the National Constitution Center. The Center opened in 2003 and host  government leaders,   scholars , and celebrities for public discussions, and has hosted presidential debates. Next to the National Constitution Center is the Liberty Bell Center where the famous Liberty Bell  can be found. I think I still have the replica I purchased when I first visited over 50 years ago.

I  left the historic Independence Hall Heritage Center and walked up Market Street. It was early  on a Sunday morning so there was little traffic. On a weekday it would already be bustling with cars, buses, trucks and cabs.

The buildings along the street still displayed signs honoring the Eagles Super Bowl Victory.

It was now light as I made my way to one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city, Chinatown.

I walked past the famous gates welcoming visitors to this wonderful community in the city. When I attended the legal seminars, lunch was always provided at the Convention Center. I never ate there once. I would rush to Chinatown and enjoy a delicious meal at one of it’s many restaurants.

I roamed the streets, 

as the shops and markets were setting up even on an early Sunday morning.

I love visiting the markets and checking out the interesting products and produce.

I walked over to the Vine Street park,

then I  walked around a few up of streets,

past the many great restraunts,

before walking up Arch  Street toward the Convention Center. I spent many hours here, waiting for the seminars to end,  so I could explore more of the city I loved. .I have a hard time sitting inside since I was a young child.

Across from the Convention Center is the famous Reading Terminal Market.   I alway have to stop in to have a look around at this historic marketplace.

There were only a few folks inside early Sunday morning, so different than the crowds I saw on Friday before the Super Bowl parade.

I checked out the some of the many  vendors, selling so many different items from meats,

to  kimchee.

There are also many bakeries,

and restaurants.

I stopped at the fish market,

and decided to purchase some nice scallops and shrimps for my Sunday meal when I got home. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from my walk through Chinatown and the Reading Terminal Market. Philadelphia Chinatown February 16 2025.

I left the market and walked past the Marriott Hotel where I spent, by far, most of my nights in the city.

I continued my hike in a light rain around City Hall. This time the streets were empty. The crowds of Eagle fans I saw on Friday were gone.

Next to cityu hall  are the towering office buildings  at Liberty Place. It wasn’t until these  glass skyscrapers were built it 1987 that any building in he city was taller than the statute of William Penn atop City Hall.

Now these and other skyscappers tower over  William Penn.

I walked down 16th Street to Sansom Street. I used to always eat at the Samson Street oyster house. This restaturant was recommneded to my by an  old attorney in my home town. He practiced law until his 98th birthday. I hope to break his record.

I was now near Rittenhouse Square. I love this small park, especially in the Spring and Summer.  It was here, at either the Barclay or Warick Hotel I am not sure which one, I had  spent my first night in the city. It was in the early 1990’s and I was attending my first legal  seminar in the city.  It’s hard to believe this was  almost 35 years ago.

As I continued my walk through the streets of the city, including some allys,  I reflected on the many vists since then. I had stayed a few nights at the old Holiday Inn near the old Veterans Stadium. One time was with my brothers, brother-in-law and nephews,  we watched a Philles games and met the Eagles’s running back Wilbert Montgomery at the hotel. I also stayed at the Four Seasons with my sister and her family and with my nephew Mikey.( We lost my beloved sister and her husband in a motor vehicle accident).  We visited the Art Museums, the Franklin  Insitiute , the Zoo, and so much more in this wonderful city.    Many good times I had in  Philadelphia.

I had walked almost 5 miles . It was around 9 a..m. so I finished my hike, packed and left the hotel. I drove through some rain on my 95 mile drive back to my home in  Hazle Township, Luzerne County,  Northeastern Pennsylvania,  stopping half way at the rest area plaza near Allentown for a cup of coffee. This was always a stop when we would take bus trips to the Philles games when I was a child.

As I neared my home I drove into a winter wonderland. There was a snow and ice storm the previous day. Thankfully, it was still raining and I made it home before the cold air, and some snow arrived.  Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from my  morning walk through  the streets of Philadelphia.  Philadelphia  morning February 16 2025.

When I got home I prepared my usual Sunday meal. I consider it a good luck charm when  watching every Sunday afternoon Eagles and Philles game. I use a variety  hot peppers and garlic sauted in olive oil with pasta and shrimps and garlic. I used the scallops and shrimp I bought  at the Reading Terminal Market. It was, as always, delicious. I spent the afternoon editing my photos and reflecting on another great visit to the City of Bortherly Love, my favorite city in the world. Thanks for coming along.

“These communities, by their representatives in old Independence Hall, said to the whole world of men: “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.  Abraham Lincoln