Philadelphia: Glad To Be Back In My Favorite City

For those who don’t know me, I was born near  Hazleton Pennsylvania, which is located  half way between the cities of Philadelphia and New York. Folks in my hometown would form allegiances to one of these cities, usually over  the sports teams.  And  we would passionately love that city.  My family followed the Philadelphia teams.

We also were one of the lucky folks living on a ridge  with TV antenna facing south. We were able to watch  some of the television shows from Philadelphia (grainy and snowy as they were) and this added to my knowledge and love of the city. I still remember visiting my uncle Gene who lived in the city when I was five years old.  We visited the zoo and drove the tree-lined avenues of the city . I was in love with the city ever since.

I have returned many times, to see the sports teams play, visit the  many museums and historic sites and to attend legal seminars. I was in the city  this weekend  for  an interview at the airport for my Global Entry Application. I arrived early, parked at the Marriot  Hotel  in center city and took the train to the airport. 

This was the first time I have taken this train  to the airport and I enjoyed the ride.  It  began with some stops in the city itself,

and then meandered through some run down commercial districts as it neared the airport. 

It was about a twenty-minute ride and I arrived early  so I had plenty of time to roam the airport and have a quick-lunch before my interview. The interview went well and I returned to center  city and exited the train at the Jefferson Station, under the famous Reading Terminal. 

I checked into the hotel, grabbed my camera and engaged in one of my favorite activities, city exploring. I love roaming the streets of large cities. 

It was late afternoon now and the traffic filled the streets as did the crowds of people leaving work. I enjoyed getting lost in this sea of humanity. 

I did not have a lot of time, I would be meeting my nephew Brandon for dinner, so I decided to walk to one of my favorite parts of central Philadelphia, Rittenhouse Square. 

I walked past the many shops, restaurants hotels along the way, watching the parade of people, workers, tourists, residents and students, on my way.

Rittenhouse Square is beautiful in all seasons but especially in the Spring when it’s flower gardens are in full bloom. Some flowers still bloomed on this cloudy, mild October day.

I wish I had more time to walk and explore but I had to head back to my hotel. I had a nice evening with my nephew and retired early. It is now around 7 a.m. in the morning and it is getting light. You know what that means, time to explore some more!!!  Here is a link to some more photographs from my afternoon in my favorite city. Afternoon walk October 5 2018.

Whether fan or whether foe,
Loyalty to city was the only way to go,
They now have a Lombardi Trophy to show,
Philadelphia Eagles stole the show. – Charmaine J Forde

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