The “Birds” Brought Me Back To My Favorite City, Philadelphia, The City Of Brotherly Love.
I was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, my favorite city, for a couple of days this past week. I was there looking for some birds to photograph, however, this time it wasn’t the birds that live in our woodlands and forest but the Philadelphia Eagles, affectionately known as “the Birds”. “The Birds” just won the Super Bowl and the City was having a parade to celebrate on Friday. So I drove to Philadelphia Thursday afternoon. 
Philadelphia is largest city in Pennsylvania. It was given it’s name by William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania. It is recognized as the birthplace of our Nation. When I tell my friends and other folks this is my favorite and greatest city on the planet, few people agree with me, and, I think, some question my sanity.
I have been blessed to have visited many cities on this planet. From Auckland to Arusha, Shanghi to Sydney, Rome to Reykjavik and hundreds of other cities, big and small. I loved exploring every one of them , the people, the architecture, the history , the culture. and the cuisine.However, Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly love will always be my favorite. It is the nearest large city to my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. As a child, we were able to get Channel 6 on our television because of a south facing antenna. I grew up watching Sally Star, Gene London , Chief Halftown and many other shows from Philadelphia. My uncle Gene lived here I will never forget my first visit to his home in the northeastern section of city. I visited the Philadelphia zoo and remember the busy streets and large buildings. It made quite an impression on a very impressionable child. .
My love of the city grew with visits to Independence Hall with the Boy Scouts and my parochial school class .Watching the Eagles and the Phillies Jim Bunning’ s perfect game with my dad instilled in me a life long love of the Eagles and Phillies. I’ll never forget my first trip to Connie Mack and Veterans Stadium. I continued my visits to the city when friends attended college and medical school there., and then attending legal seminars as an attorney.
It is a beautiful, safe city filled with wonderful people. ( there is crime in every large city in the world and was since Babylon). I have spent many hours roaming the streets and alleys and never had a problem. It has a first class Art Museum, many parks and gardens , restaurants and the best music performances and play in the Nation are presented in the many venues in the theaters in Art district on Broad Street. 
Okay, these are the reasons I love Philadelphia. Back to reason for my visit on Thursday, the Super Bowl victory of our Eagles over Kansas City.I drove down on Thursday for the Super Bowl parade on Friday morning. I was staying at the Double Tree Hotel on Broad Street along the route of the parade. I had a room with a spectacular view of the city and parade route on the 26th floor.
I arrived at the hotel around 2;30 p.m . and was told my room was available. I quickly settled in for my three day stay and was off exploring the city .The skies were clear and the temperature was in the upper 30’s . A strong wind made it feel a lot colder when I began walking down Broad Street, the route of the Super Bowl parade the next day.
Broad Street in Philadelphia is 13 miles long, one of the longest in the Nation, and oldest too. It was designed for William Penn in 1681 by surveyor Thomas Holmes. My hotel was on Broad and Locust St. a few block south from City Hall. 
I decided to walk south on Broad Street along the parade route. The area between Spruce Streets and Market Streets is known as the Avenue of the Arts. South Broad Street became a center of the fine arts with the establishment of the Academy of Music on Locust Street in 1857. The building still stands and is the oldest opera house in the Untied States. I walked past the Kimmel Center of the Performing Arts, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the top five symphony orchestras in the Nation. 
There were many other arm museums and theaters ,
on both sides of Broad Street, including the Wilma Theater.
I was surprised that there wasn’t much traffic on Broad Street, neither motor vehicle or pedestrian. Many time I had to make my way through crowds of folks, tourists, residents and workers, but not on Thursday. I encountered a few people but not the crowds I usually find. I think foals were getting ready for the parade.
It was windy and colder than I thought as I continued on my hike down Broad Street. I should have worn a heavier coat, a hat and gloves. As I walked past South Street the neighborhood became more residential with some beautiful murals on the building, 
and where there are people there are restaurants.
gas stations,
shops,
churches,
a pet store,
and a fire station.
I love walking through neighborhoods in cities, each so different, yet the same. I like to compare cities to trees. Each city has different districts like branches on a tree , a commercial district, a residential district, a industrial district, a art and cultural district, but they are all different, like the branches on a tree. I love exploring all them in a city. There were some indications of the massive crowds that will line this street in the morning, trucks with portable toilets were seen along Broad Street. 
I walked down to the Sprout Farmers Market on Carpenter Street, where I started to see more people on the streets, probably leaving work and school. .
The wind had picked up and the temperature began to drop. I still could have hiked into the night but I had reservations for dinner at 6 p.m . So I turned east on Washington Avenue and began my hike back on 16th Street.
I saw more lines of portable toilets lining the streets in anticipation of the crowds of Eagles fans that will descend on the city. Over a million people were expected to watch the parade.
In the distance the tall buildings on the skyline of central Philadelphia towered over the row homes and townhouses as I walked north into the wind. 
I love walking through these residential neighborhoods,
observing the left over Christmas and other decorations on the homes, 
and the sleeping gardens. In the warmer months I would see flowers but now , in Winter, only withered rose flowers
and rose hips could be seen in some of the gardens. 
Although I was in the middle of a city I still saw some wildlife, a male cardinal and
a few house sparrows. Here link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the signs, birds and plants I saw on my walk. Philadelphia afternoon walk: things February 13 2025. 
I walked up to Spruce Street and onto Rittenhouse Square.
Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original squares in the city laid out by the same surveyor, Thomas Holmes.
In the the warmer months the park is always crowded. Amateur musicians entertain the crowds.
The park was almost deserted as I walked through on this cold February afternoon. I look forward to visiting in the Spring.
I left Rittenhouse Square walking past the Parc restaurant where I would eat later. 
I followed now busy Locust Street back to the hotel. It was after 4 p.m now and the office buildings were emptying their many employees. The street was filled with cars and the streets with crowds of people. 
I walked past the many unique shops and restaurants. There is so much to see on every block in a city.. It’s a great place to keep your eyes peeled while walked. You might even see an elephant in front of a restaurant. 
I made my way back through the crowds to Broad Street, taking one last look at City Hall and ,
also taking a quick walk down the subway station next to my hotel. I have used this subway many times on my visits to the city. Here link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my afternoon walk. Philadelphia afternoon walk: February 13 2025. 
I finished my 3 mile walk and returned to my room. I enjoyed the view of the city as the sun was setting in the west. I then showered and walked through the now busy , rush hour traffic of central Philadelphia to the highly recommended Parc restaurant on Rittenhouse Square. My daily walking and hiking allows me to eat a lot. I love visiting restaurants in the cities and towns I visit on my travels. And I love sharing my dinning experiences with my followers on my blog and social media. . I had a wonderfully delicious meal starting with bowl of mushrooms soup. 
The bread served with the soup was delicious too. For my main course I had the trout almondine. It was highly recommended and it was also delicious. 
The portions were generous, and I was full, but had to try the dessert I am glad I did. I had a chocolate cake served warm and it completed a perfect meal. 
I was full and walked back to my hotel in the evening twilight, listening to the chants of the many Eagle fans already in the city. I heard the chants echoing from below my room while I edited some photos. I looked out at the city below. from my window. In my younger days I would be roaming the streets, visitn the nightclubs and bars until the wee hours of the morning. I am old now and I fell asleep early, listening to the Eagles chants, which continued, and got louder, until the wee hours of the morning. It was going to be an exciting day on Friday. 
I love everything about this city, Philadelphia. Nick Foles
I’m loyal to Philadelphia. That’s where I retired. Randall Cunningham
“There’s more to Philadelphia than Cheesesteaks and Wawa Hoagies,
Here is a list of 1 places you will love in Philadelphia:
The Betsy Ross House
Reading Terminal Market
Boat House Row/Kelly Drive
National Constitution Center
Delaware River waterfront
The Liberty Bell
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Franklin Institute
Philadelphia Museum of Art
City Hall and it’s Observation deck”
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